Entwined Opposites Series
by Lucky-9-Rose
Summary: A Series spanning the possibilities of Meta Knight and Jigglypuff's relationship. None of the Seasons have to be read in order; each is a seperate story. Reading all 110 chapters is optional.
1. Season 1: Episode One, Part 1

**Author's Notes: Don't be intimidated by all the chapters. None of these Seasons have to be read in order. My first two are not my best so I recommend starting on the third one if you want a better read. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters, or anything related.**

* * *

**Entwined Opposites Series**

**Episode 1, Part 1**

_Insightful Meaning_

What did Super Smash Brothers mean anyway? That same question crossed every Smashers minds at least once regardless how well they progressed in the tournament. Many took it as a positive experience nourishing their lives and helping them reach potential in many areas of talent they did not know they possessed. Unfortunately, there are a few who do not see the bright side and view as confinement with other people they did not know.

There was one Smasher who wasn't exactly positive about being in Super Smash Brothers, but not quite pessimistic either. What the purpose of being here was remained a mystery. A sigh escaped Meta Knight as he was heading upstairs to his and Jigglypuff's bedroom. He had to admit, he was a little unsure about being roommates with her at first, but after the first day, he was accustomed to it.

"Is something wrong Meta Knight?" Jigglypuff asked him as he was passing by. She appeared very worried, never seeing him so disturbed and troubled before. This was one of the only times where he gave hints about how he felt, whether he was aware of it or not. The aura that surrounded his very being gave off the impression he was restraining from a powerful emotion.

At once Meta Knight noticed his own strange behaviour, immediately regaining his composure. "It is nothing, I'm fine." With that, he walked past her and went up the stairs, eyes now glowing grey from sadness. Denial or not, he had a harder time controlling the colour of his eyes. Once in a while, he would feel moody and isolate himself from everyone. This was one of those days.

"_I never thought about the past in such a long time. Why do I suddenly feel sentimental?" _Meta Knight could feel his body begin to uncontrollably shake but tightened his grip on his cape, loathing his emotions daring to control his actions. Since when had he been this sad? He never let it show before so why would it happen now? Fortunately for Meta Knight, he was alone in the bedroom so no one could see his emotional struggle.

After ten long minutes of everlasting sadness now combined with loneliness, Jigglypuff opened the door in search of finding Meta Knight. "Oh there you are Meta Knight! I've been looking all over for you-" Jigglypuff suddenly stopped, now noticing he did not acknowledge she was even. "Uh, Meta Knight, is something wrong?"

"What is the purpose of being here?" Meta Knight said to Jigglypuff, eyes glowing green.

Jigglypuff was surprised at that question. "What do you mean by that?"

"You are a veteran Smasher, are you not? I also heard you were in the last tournament, Melee, I believe so. From your experiences in Super Smash Brothers, what does being here mean to you?" Meta Knight told Jigglypuff, eyes still green.

Jigglypuff thought for a moment. The question was complex; something she never thought about before. She did have an answer though. Looking up from the ground, she made eye contact with Meta Knight. "Well, the Super Smash Brothers tournaments brought many people from different worlds together and created a sense of diversity. The tournaments are never all about fighting. Facing an opponent on the battlefield can teach you different fighting styles, strategies and help strengthen your abilities. To me, the Smashers helped me improve my communication skills and to associate with others more effectively. I always find meeting someone new an exciting experience and an opportunity to make new friends."

"Companionship is important to me because I know without it, loneliness and depression can result. Very often, the Master Hand will create a wide range of special occasions or activities. The best part is being involved, enjoying every moment and cherishing the memories. To me, Super Smash Brothers means more to me that can't be described in words. Coming to the Smash Brothers Tournaments was the start of my world…So that pretty much sums it up…"

Meta Knight looked at her, comprehending every word she spoke in his mind. He had to admit, all of what she said accurate, even the part about companionship. He wasn't social himself and did feel lonely sometimes. Though he didn't talk to the other Smashers unless he had to, they felt like a family to him; a family he would protect with his life.

Inside, the feeling did shock Meta Knight. He was known to be cold and uncaring to others. However, Jigglypuff knew how he could be the opposite. Though Meta Knight wouldn't admit it, he had a soft side and was caring deep down. The only Smasher he did speak to was Jigglypuff, and sometimes they spent an hour talking before bed. She was someone he trusted and could be somewhat open with.

Even with that bond between them, Meta Knight would not take off his mask or utter a word of his past or his feelings. Once in a while, his eyes would change colour, but other than that, there would be slight behaviour differences such as tensing up or isolating himself from everyone, including Jigglypuff. These problems made happiness difficult for Meta Knight to feel in Super Smashers Brawl.

What was his purpose here anyway? Did anyone really want him in this tournament, or was he yet another part of the background to the Smashers?

Jigglypuff put a hand on his shoulder. "Meta Knight, is something bothering you?"

Meta Knight turned to face her, eyes now changing back to yellow. "…No."

Jigglypuff could hear doubt in his voice, like he was unsure of his response. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes I am sure," he said, about to turn away when he felt a restraining tug on his cape. He gasped from shock, whirling around expecting an attack but his hands shook at the thought of mistaking Jigglypuff as the enemy.

Jigglypuff was now looking concerned and worried. "Meta Knight, I know something's bothering you. You wouldn't be so insistent on leaving." Before she could stop herself, she wrapped around him, tenderly hugging him. "You can tell me anything. I'll always be there for you…Don't you understand that?"

Meta Knight had never been hugged before and found it unexpected which caught him off guard. His breathing quickened as he tried so hard not to cry. _"I must not cry. Must not…cry…"_ The thought kept echoing through his mind as he finally wrapped his arms around Jigglypuff, surprising her in the process.

Eventually, the feelings became so much that Meta Knight couldn't hold them in any longer. The tears streamed down his face out of both sadness and happiness. Yet they were silent as they dripped down his face, stinging the skin concealed by his mask.

Jigglypuff continued to embrace him, now gently rubbing his back, causing him to lessen up a little. She had no idea of his emotional breakdown which remained unknown to her.

Surprisingly, Meta Knight felt better after releasing his emotions and the thought Jigglypuff would never know did comfort him into the knowledge he would have some of his pride left.

Meta Knight was finally starting to realize his purpose for being in Super Smash Brothers Brawl. His purpose was the same as everyone else's. What Jigglypuff told him described the purpose clearly. Though they all shared the same purpose, he and Jigglypuff were some exceptions.

What Jigglypuff did not mention was love. Not everyone experienced it. However, Meta Knight was starting to feel it towards Jigglypuff. He doubted she felt the same way. Why would she love him?

Jigglypuff smiled at him, now causing Meta Knight to blush behind his mask. "Feeling a little better?"

He nodded, the temperature increasing at least ten degrees behind the metal that hid his face from her. It was a possibility she did have feelings for him after all. Sooner or later, time would tell.


	2. Episode One, Part 2

**Author's Notes: After the reviews I received, I decided to add one more chapter to this story as a sequel. I hope it's good and that you enjoy it. This is what I came up with in one hour. Enjoy the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.**

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It all seemed like a dream. The events of yesterday were certainly not expected and were rather sudden.

The day before, Meta Knight had been afraid to show his feelings and avoided the other Smashers. He had felt as if he had no purpose to be in Super Smash Brothers Brawl…but one Smasher completely changed that and gave him the support he needed when he had felt depressed. That someone was Jigglypuff. She told him what Super Smash Brothers meant and the purpose that related to everyone. Not only that, Jigglypuff provided him with the security of being able to trust somebody and feel loved which replaced the cold, empty feeling that had been there previously.

Just thinking about Jigglypuff now made Meta Knight's cheeks turn red, which never started happening until the night before. Was it because he had feelings for her? It would be pointless for him to deny it to himself. Every time he saw her now, he felt fluttery on the inside and his heart rate always increased, accompanied by feeling nervous. What was going on with him? Was he really falling in love?

As Meta Knight had discovered the night before, love was not achieved for all Smashers. Love was what made him and Jigglypuff exceptions from the purpose along with making time together special. How he valued every moment in her presence…

At the present moment, Meta Knight and Jigglypuff were both in the bedroom having both finished their breakfast.

Jigglypuff noticed how at ease Meta Knight seemed when eating breakfast with her that morning. She was surprised when she realized he actually ate more than usual. Perhaps the events of last night had helped him. Jigglypuff trusted Meta Knight more than anyone in the Smash Mansion. She had a feeling he felt the same way towards her.

During the previous night, after they had spoke, she had been awoken by faint sobbing. Jigglypuff knew at once something had been wrong. It turned out that Meta Knight had been crying in his sleep and when she asked him, he told her straight out instead of denying it. To Jigglypuff, this was a sign that the trust between them had grown stronger.

Now she was blushing thinking about Meta Knight. He seemed to notice, also because they were both sitting on the windowsill beside each other, spending time with one another. Instead of saying anything, one of his gloved hands extended towards one of her hands and held it tenderly. The result was Jigglypuff feeling warm and happy inside.

Jigglypuff snuggled against Meta Knight's mask, causing his face to turn scarlet. He certainly hadn't expected her reaction, but enjoyed the warm and fuzzy feeling. His eyes now turned blue from happiness.

"The view is beautiful, isn't it Meta Knight?" Jigglypuff asked, eyes shining with content.

Meta Knight happily sighed. "Yes Jigglypuff. It is a pretty sight." He gazed into her eyes. "However…"

"…However?"

"…I think you are much more beautiful…"

Jigglypuff blushed from the compliment. She softly giggled. "Thanks Meta Knight!"

What happened next caught her off guard. Meta Knight wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into another heart-warming embrace. "Jigglypuff, you mean so much to me…"

"You mean a lot to me too Meta Knight!" Jigglypuff snuggled into his arms and sighed contentedly. "Super Smash Brothers wouldn't be as important to me without you."

"Thank you Jigglypuff." Meta Knight replied, voice soft. He had to admit, he was touched by how much she cared for him. As she comfortably rested in his arms, he truly realized he loved her. He would do anything to ensure she was happy, unharmed and secure. Meta Knight would even risk his life to save hers.

Jigglypuff felt the same way. She fully understood how much she loved him. She wanted to tell him so, but was unsure of how he would react. Did he feel the same way? Shortly after, the feelings of love guided her actions in which she never expected nor intended to do. Her hands found their way to the clasps on Meta Knight's mask to take it off.

Meta Knight knew Jigglypuff was going to remove his mask. Seeing as she was hesitant, he told her, "It's all right. You have my permission." As his mask was fully off his face, he felt extra fluttery inside. How was she going to react to seeing that he had a cute Kirby-like face?

Jigglypuff placed the mask on the windowsill and smiled at Meta Knight. She thought he was very cute and adorable, but decided to keep those thoughts to herself. Meta Knight was probably uneasy enough. To her surprise and joy, she felt him give her a kiss on her cheek. Feeling extremely happy, she leaned closer to his face and returned the favour. The moment together turned out to be one of pure passion and affection.

"Meta Knight?"

"Yes Jigglypuff?"

"I…I…love you…"

In response, he gave her another hug and kiss. "Jigglypuff, I love you too. No matter what happens, our hearts will always be one." Meta Knight looked into her eyes, cheeks red, but smiling. "I wish we could stay together forever."

"I wish so too. Even when we die, our hearts and love will always exist. That's what I believe." Jigglypuff gazed at the sky. "…To me, nothing is forever except love."

Love is what made their experience in Super Smash Brothers special. All their love and care for each other would only strengthen as the years went by. That's what they believed and nothing would change that.


	3. Episode Two

**Author's Notes: I wrote this on paper yesterday during the storm when I couldn't go on the computer. This episode will focus on Meta Knight and Kirby. I hope you enjoy this.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.**

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Fiery, scarlet and gold colours formed the beautiful sunset transforming sky which filled the land with multicolour glowing beauty adored. Under the breathtaking sky, two round and dark silhouettes could be seen in the distance.

One, upon closer inspection, was a pink puffball known as Kirby, the Star Warrior. At the present moment, he was training with Meta Knight to improve his sword skills. As the swords clashed against one another, both fought back with determination and heart. However, as the minutes passed by, Kirby was tiring and exhaustion was eventually settling in no matter how hard he tried to push it aside from his being.

The sword dropped from Kirby's stubby arm as he collapsed to the ground out of exhaustion.

"Kirby, are you all right?" When Kirby didn't give any kind of a response, Meta Knight went to his side to check if he was still breathing or had any injuries. Kirby didn't appear harmed, but Meta Knight was still worried. Kirby was like a son to him; one that he would protect no matter what.

Meta Knight carried Kirby back to the Smash Mansion. Perhaps the Master Hand would know what to do.

--

The Master Hand was surprised to see Meta Knight in his office. Without delay, he rushed over to find out was wrong. "Did something happen Meta Knight?"

"Master Hand, I fear something is wrong with Kirby. While I was training him, he collapsed and would not respond to anything. Though he didn't seem harmed, I was still concerned." Meta Knight explained. "I take full responsibility and blame for this Master Hand. This was my entire fault."

The Master Hand had just finished giving Kirby a quick check-up. "Please don't be hard on yourself Meta Knight. None of this was your fault. It seems Kirby is only fatigue. He'll recover after a night of sleep."

"May I bring Kirby to my room then so I can watch over him?" Meta Knight asked.

"Of course. Let me know when he is feeling better again," the Master Hand replied. "Both of you are dismissed from your Brawls tomorrow. Goodnight."

Meta Knight nodded in acknowledgement, now holding Kirby again. "Goodnight and thank you."

Little did they know, two Smashers saw this whole thing. On one side was Ike, who was being nosy and on the other side was Jigglypuff. She only listened in because she was concerned.

"Who knew Meta Knight was caring?" Ike whispered to himself. "I've got to tell Marth!"

Jigglypuff opened the bedroom door just a bit to see what was going on. She saw that Meta Knight placed Kirby on his bed in the most comfortable position and gently pulled the covers over him. "Sleep well Kirby," she heard Meta Knight say softly. She smiled, knowing he was caring deep down. Now she remembered their kiss a couple of days ago. Jigglypuff blushed now giggling softly at the memory.

Meta Knight turned to the door swiftly. "Who's there?"

Jigglypuff entered the room, trying to act normal. "It's only me."

Meta Knight visibly relaxed at the sound of her voice. "I apologize Jigglypuff. I should have known you were there."

"Don't worry about that." Jigglypuff's focus switched to the sleeping pink puffball. "What happened to Kirby?" She didn't want Meta Knight to know she had listened in earlier. Besides, she didn't know all the facts anyway.

"He collapsed during training and would respond to anything because of me." Meta Knight's eyes turned grey. "As usual, I was probably too harsh on him." By the time Jigglypuff noticed his eyes were grey, they reverted back to yellow.

"Meta Knight, this isn't your fault." Jigglypuff put a hand on his shoulder. "Kirby wouldn't want you to blame yourself. He would want you to be strong."

Meta Knight sighed. "All right."

--

Meta Knight sat up from the windowsill, now awakening from the little sleep he managed to get last night. He was surprised to see that it was noon already and that Kirby was not in the room. Meta Knight was heading towards the door when it suddenly opened and Kirby came flying in. Kirby hugged Meta Knight so hard, he fell over.

"Meda Nigh!" Kirby said happily.

Meta Knight's eyes turned blue. "Kirby, you're all right."

"Poyo, Daddy, poyo!"

"Did you just say-"

Kirby left the room, jumping in the hallway saying "poyo," the entire time.

However, Meta Knight remained speechless with shock. Kirby couldn't have called him "Dad," could he? But deep down, Meta Knight did feel like a father to the young creampuff; training and protecting him

Meta Knight knew he was caring deep down, but living in mistrust for a long time caused him to hide it and replace it with seeming cold and uncaring. Meta Knight sighed.

"_No one would understand."_

--

Cafeteria

-

-

"Are you serious?" Toon Link asked Ike, eyes wide with curiosity. "Meta Knight _actually_ cared about Kirby?"

"That was I had witnessed Toon Link." Ike replied, expression serious. "Perhaps I came across a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I still remain surprised that Meta Knight had feelings."

As Ike spoke those words, Meta Knight came into the room and heard it clearly. The room went unusually silent. Ike gulped as Meta Knight slowly approached him.

"Exactly how many of you think I am cold and uncaring?" Almost everyone raised their hands. "Why is that everyone judges one another from appearance and not what they are deep down? I am quite certain that everyone in this room…" Meta Knight looked directly at Ike. "Do not realize I _hurt_ deep down. As impossible as it may seem, I have feelings just like everyone else. Always keep in mind that everything is not always how it appears." Meta Knight turned his back on all the Smashers and left the Smash Mansion to go for a quiet walk alone.

"Meda Nigh! Daddy!" Kirby shouted, surprising the Smashers further. That was the first time they ever heard Kirby saying something other than the usual, "poyo."

"Was it just me, or did Kirby call Meta Knight 'dad'" Ike said, bewildered. Everyone shrugged, equally as confused.

--

Meta Knight was sitting down at the beach, still trying to calm down. His mask lay next to him, allowing the cool breeze to blow across his face. This seemed to help since he began to relax. A smile finally found its way on his face as a contented sigh escaped him.

In the distance, Meta Knight heard a voice call his name which sounded very familiar. "Kirby?"

"Meda Nigh!" came the puffballs response. Kirby approached him, a look of surprise on his face when he saw that Meta Knight had his mask off. He quickly recovered and hugged his mentor/father figure.

"Kirby," Meta Knight said, hugging Kirby back. "What are you doing out here?"

"Poyo, poyo!"

"You were worried about me?" Meta Knight asked, his eyes turning blue. "I appreciate your concern for me, but I am all right." He gently patted Kirby on the head, causing him to smile.

"Poyo," Kirby said, sitting down next to Meta Knight, who looked him in the eye.

"Kirby, you should head back to the Smash Mansion. Otherwise, everyone will worry about you."

Kirby tugged on Meta Knight's cape. "Poyo!"

"All right," Meta Knight said, reluctantly giving in. "I'll go back with you." As he stood up, he put his mask back on. "Let's go Kirby. Supper will be ready shortly."

"_Kirby, I vow to protect you with my life. You have hope in this world. Do not lose all hope in life like I did."_

**--**

**Author's Comments: This was not easy to write. I almost got stuck on some parts, but I hope all of you liked it. The next chapter will focus on Jigglypuff.**

**Next Chapter- Episode 3: How Jigglypuff became a Smasher**


	4. Episode Three

**Author's Notes: I came up with lots of ideas last night so I decided to write it out. Hopefully, you will all like this! I'm pleased with how this chapter turned out. Anyone who reviews gets New Year's cookies and a slice of cake. Thank you to anyone who reads this. Enjoy the update!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related. **

-Episode 3- How Jigglypuff Became a Smasher

Jigglypuff had spent the last moments gazing at the sunset, her most favourite time of the day. It gave her a feeling of ease and comforted her whenever she was stressed. This was one of those days. For a while, Jigglypuff had been feeling depressed which rarely ever happened. Whenever she did feel sad, like she was now, it mainly revolved around one reason she considered foolish.

Each and everyday, at least one Smasher would keep her informed that she was the weakest Smasher in history. Jigglypuff sighed. _"I've been hearing those comments since I became a Smasher in the first tournament. I'm used to them so why do they still hurt? Maybe…the pain is always unavoidable behind those cruel words…Perhaps they won't hurt so badly if I just accepted them as true."_

Several comments were used to bring Jigglypuff down to the depths of despair, particularly the following.

"_Why would the Master Hand invite such a weakling to the Smash Brothers Tournaments?"_

"_If the Master Hand is inviting something like you to Super Smash Brothers, he must be at his last resort."_

"_If you are not even going to try to improve, why don't you just leave and come back where you came from?"_

"_I never knew someone to be so weak. The Master Hand could invite anyone else to this tournament and each would be more than capable to show better talent than you."_

Jigglypuff tried hard to fight back the tears. Even the comments were not spoken verbally, they remained entwined to her thoughts no matter what.

How long had it been since she arrived at the Smash Mansion for the first Super Smash Brothers Tournament? Jigglypuff lost count a long time ago. She didn't even know her age as matter of fact. Every day had been the same even before arriving as a Smasher…That's right…now she remembered. Before becoming a Smasher, she had been in the hands of one of the cruel Pokemon trainers imaginable.

--

_Jigglypuff awoke from her short sleep she managed to get. She was in her room, the dark and cold basement, on the floor. She had no idea whether it was day or night due to the basement always being so dark, not a single thing could be seen…just like her…Jigglypuff knew she wasn't worthy of being noticed. _

_Her trainer had been utterly shamed at possessing her as a Pokemon. The trainer wanted to win every match and with her chosen as his Pokemon, he knew his dreams were crushed. He needed someone stronger- anyone!_

_The sound of the door being slammed open snapped Jigglypuff out of her thoughts. Another day of torture commences. _

"_Jigglypuff, wake up!" the trainer shouted in a voice so loud that it could hurt anyone's ears. _

"_I am awake Master," she said weakly still exhausted._

"_Aw, that's a shame. I really wanted to use this to do the job," the trainer held up the whip in his hand. "But I guess that will be for another day. Hah, yeah right. I'll just try it out now." With a wave of his hand, the whip obediently found its way towards its target and made damaging contact._

_Jigglypuff bit her lip, trying not to scream from the pain. How desperately she wanted a peaceful life._

"_Here's the deal weakling. Lose today's match and another beating is in order. Do you understand?"_

"_Y-yes…"_

"_Say that again."_

"_Yes, I understand."_

"_Good."_

_--_

Jigglypuff finally allowed herself to cry. The sooner she let out those sad feelings, the better. The tears streamed down her face as more sobs continued to escape her. Suddenly the sound of footsteps made her freeze in place. She quickly wiped the tears from her face so no one would know she had been crying. She didn't need to be insulted any more than she presently was. Jigglypuff hid behind a tree to see who was there.

To her relief, Jigglypuff saw that it was only Meta Knight and Kirby heading back to the Smash Mansion.

"Let's go Kirby. Supper will be ready shortly." Jigglypuff heard Meta Knight say to Kirby who contently walked by his side.

Suddenly, a new thought flashed through her mind. Jigglypuff realized that she wasn't the only one who was told hurtful things. She was called weak while Meta Knight was told a lot that he was cold and uncaring. The Jigglypuff remembered something Meta Knight said in the cafeteria when Ike provoked him.

"_I am quite certain that everyone in this room do not realize I hurt deep down."_

Jigglypuff was now sad for Meta Knight instead. She now truly realized that he detested being called cold and uncaring just as she disliked being called weak. That was something else they shared in common. She knew that Meta Knight was not cold and uncaring. She saw him care for Kirby earlier that day. Also, if he was so cold and uncaring, he wouldn't have kissed her or trusted her at all for that matter. A voice brought her back from her thoughts.

"Kirby, you go on ahead. I will be there for supper in a while." That voice was unmistakeably Meta Knight's.

"Poyo?" Kirby said, tugging on his cape.

"I will be all right. Do not worry about me."

Reluctantly, Kirby continued to head towards the Smash Mansion. He took one last look behind himself before entering. As Kirby disappeared from sight, Meta Knight sighed and headed in the opposite direction. Jigglypuff, now intrigued, followed quietly behind careful not to make any sounds.

Eventually, she was lead to the beach. Jigglypuff remained hidden behind the tree and waited to see what would happen next. To her shock, Meta Knight removed his mask and set it down beside him. He sighed again.

Unfortunately for Jigglypuff, she fell over sideways having lost her balance. She quickly stood up, hoping Meta Knight didn't notice. To her dismay, that was not to be. He quickly turned around to see who was there, forgetting that he didn't have his mask on. "Who's there?"

Jigglypuff came out from behind the tree, feeling ashamed.

Meta Knight visibly relaxed. Then the realization that he wasn't wearing his mask dawned upon him. He turned away, face scarlet. He was surprised when Jigglypuff put a hand on his cheek.

"Meta Knight, I've already seen your face before. Don't you remember when we kissed?"

Meta Knight's gaze lowered to the ground. "Yes."

Jigglypuff noticed that he seemed troubled by something. "Are you all right Meta Knight?"

"Yes, I am fine."

"You don't seem that sure." Jigglypuff said, concern showing in your eyes.

"I am." Meta Knight made eye contact with her, expression serious. "However, I am worried about you."

Jigglypuff was taken aback. "W-What? Why?"

"It is not like you to skip supper. That itself concerns me. What's bothering you?"

Jigglypuff sighed. "Well, I guess I have been feeling down. I was fine this morning, but when I lost a brawl, a few of the others were bullying me again like they usually do. I was then reminded of when I first came as a Smasher to the Smash Brothers Tournaments…and the horrible life I had endured before then."

Meta Knight seemed confused. "Horrible?"

Jigglypuff nodded. "Before I came here, I lived with my trainer who was the cruellest person I ever knew. He always insulted and beat me up whenever I lost a match and not once did he care about my feelings or well-being. As each day passed, I began to lose my will to live. And by miracle, exciting news spread about the Master Hand seeking for anyone interested in becoming a Smasher for the first tournament. I saw this as a chance to finally live in peace and escape my trainer. When he left immediately to hear more about the tournament, I was able to run away without being noticed. I sent a letter to the Master Hand explaining my predicament and situation, also informing him of what I had to go through. He replied back immediately and allowed me to move in the Smash Mansion early. I remember how excited I was when I first set foot in there. I felt as though my life could finally have some meaning. When the first Smashers arrived, I was eager to meet them. Some were nice and easy to get along with, but some always made fun of me. When I found out some of these people were heroes in their world, I felt intimidated and scared. Unfortunately, my first match was against one of the Smashers I didn't get along with. However, I was relieved that there would be no more beatings when I made mistakes. Even when each tournament passed, I stayed at the Smash Mansion not having a home to return to. The Master Hand instantly agreed to have me stay. Once in a while, he would allow me use the training equipment to improve my fighting skills. I feel sad when I am teased at the only home I ever had. The Smash Brothers Tournaments were the only place I felt like someone…and others find it amusing to torment me for being weak. None of them would understand what I had to go through. Even if I go back in there, losing today's brawl would be one of their main gossip topics. For that reason, I wanted to stay away from them." Jigglypuff sighed waiting for Meta Knight's response.

He was quiet at first, but hugged her close to him. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that. I never knew you suffered…so much."

Jigglypuff hugged him back, feeling much better she finally told someone the truth. "Thank you so much Meta Knight for understanding," she replied, crying with happiness. She was surprised when Meta Knight released her from his grip, he kissed her on the cheek. Jigglypuff instantly felt warm inside. "I love you…" she whispered.

"I love you too Jigglypuff."

As the two headed back for the Smash Mansion, Jigglypuff felt much happier inside. This tournament had to be the best one so far. She felt at ease, knowing she had someone who would be there for her. One of the best things that happened in her life was meeting Meta Knight.

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**Author's Comments- I hoped you all liked it! The next chapter will have humour in it: Episode 4- Kirby Learns How to Ride a Bike!**

**Happy Early New Year!!!**


	5. Episode Four

**Author's Notes: Yep, I finally got another chapter done. I'm not sure if I did well. I wrote this when I was feeling sick so hopefully it doesn't suck. I apologize if there are any errors. And it does contain humour; there were already enough serious episodes in the previous chapters. There will be more angst, but that's for another update. Enjoy the new chapter!**

**Next Chapter, Episode 5- Strong loyalty in love.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.**

--

Episode 4:

Kirby Learns How to Ride a Bike!

-The Next Day-

The next morning finally was arriving at the Smash Mansion. Still quiet filled the rooms as the sun was beginning to rise. Meta Knight was relieved to wake up before anyone else. He didn't feel comfortable being near them after what happened in the cafeteria yesterday, particularly, Ike who had caused the whole commotion.

On top of that, he barely slept at all last night. His mind was so busy comprehending what Jigglypuff told him about her previous life before the Super Smash Brothers Tournaments. She sounded so miserable when she told him the whole story and Meta Knight wanted her to be happy. He hoped the Smashers would cease teasing her whenever she lost a brawl. Meta Knight then made an agreement to himself that whenever Jigglypuff was being teased, he would stand up for her.

Meta Knight made sure no other Smasher was in the cafeteria before he entered. Right now, he desperately wanted to be alone while the rare peace and quiet existed. He ate a bit of breakfast and felt less self-conscious by himself. While he finished eating a bagel, he went over to the calendar to see if there were any upcoming special days. His eyes widened a bit when he saw that today was marked as Kirby's birthday. Since when did Kirby have a birthday? That concept confused him. Perhaps Jigglypuff knew something about it.

Said pink Pokemon came downstairs precisely after Meta Knight decided to ask her about it. Jigglypuff smiled at him. "Good morning!"

"Good morning Jigglypuff. Did you sleep well?"

"Yep! How about you?" Jigglypuff replied cheerfully.

"I couldn't sleep."

Jigglypuff gazed into his eyes. "Are you _sure_ you're all right. You haven't been sleeping much lately. Was it a bad dream or something?"

Meta Knight sighed. "No, it was not a nightmare. I have a lot on my mind all the time, nothing serious. Don't worry about it." He needed to quickly change the subject quickly before Jigglypuff asked him what was wrong. Then he remembered the calendar. "Jigglypuff?"

"Yes?"

"Why is Kirby's birthday marked on the calendar? Is it supposed to be today?"

"Oh, yes!" Jigglypuff said, smiling happily. "It slipped my mind. I guess the last week has been a bit unusual huh?"

"I suppose so." Meta Knight viewed the calendar once again. "How did anyone figure out when Kirby's birthday is? I thought no one knew."

Jigglypuff laughed softly. "That's right. Which reminds me…you weren't in the first tournament so you wouldn't know about that. Well, during the first season of Super Smash Brothers, the Master Hand decided to have everyone write their birthday on the calendar. When Kirby was confused by the whole situation, it became clear that he didn't know. I suppose it would be impossible to figure out, sleeping in space and all that. The Smashers worked together to create a birthday for him. Ever since then, we've always celebrated his birthday on November 13th."

"I was wondering why the cafeteria was decorated today. Perhaps there will be a party then?" Meta Knight asked.

"Definitely! Birthday parties around here get crazy with all the excitement and presents. Do you recall Lucas' party last month?" Jigglypuff replied.

Meta Knight shuddered at the memories. "Clearly." The poor boy's screams still haunted him in his thoughts every now and then, especially that very moment. All the noises (and pranks pulled by the villains) had traumatized Lucas and would probably scar him for life. "Will Kirby's birthday be like that too?"

"No, I don't think so. Kirby isn't scared of everything and is too carefree." Jigglypuff sighed happily. "Well, I guess I better get breakfast before the others wake up. What about you?"

"I ate a while ago. I'll have nothing in particular to do before the party."

Jigglypuff inched closer to Meta Knight. "Did you want to help set up the party with me then?"

"I would love to."

--

The party had been as chaotic as anticipated. Party balloons were hung up nearly everywhere in the cafeteria and streamers lay on the floor as everyone gathered around a large circular table to eat. Meta Knight considered going, but when he spotted the strange looks a few were giving him, he changed his mind. He decided to stay in the main hallway by himself.

Kirby noticed the absence of his father figure's presence and immediately checked the hallway to find him. By now, sensing where Meta Knight was became a sixth sense. "Daddy, poyo!"

Upon hearing the pink creampuff, Meta Knight looked up from the ground. "Kirby, is that you?"

"Poyo!" Kirby exclaimed, hugging him tightly. "Poyo, birthday!"

Meta Knight patted Kirby on the head. "Happy birthday Kirby. I apologize for not having a gift. I never knew the Smashers gave you a birthday until Jigglypuff told me this morning."

Kirby smiled and nuzzled against his mentor's mask. "Poyo, okay!"

"Thank you for understanding Kirby. You should head back to the cafeteria. Everyone will wonder where you went."

"Poyo, Daddy comes too, poyo!"

"I do not think that is a good idea. I don't want to be near the others right now," Meta Knight replied.

"Poyo…" Kirby sounded disappointed.

Meta Knight hated to see Kirby sad. It was his birthday after all… "All right Kirby, I'll go."

Kirby's expression transformed to one of happiness. He took hold of Meta Knight's hand and led him back to the cafeteria. The Smashers seemed to be surprised when both returned, but Meta Knight ignored everyone else as best as he could and avoided their gaze, except for Jigglypuff. She was happy he changed his mind and came to the party.

At the round table, both Kirby and Jigglypuff sat beside Meta Knight. He felt much better being near them. When Ike looked at them strangely, Jigglypuff glared at him.

Ike chuckled. "Hey Jigglypuff, is Meta Knight your boyfriend?" At that comment, the villains joined in chuckling.

The Master Hand came in before Jigglypuff could respond. She was very angry at them though and her face was red. Luckily the Master Hand's announcement caused them to forget about it.

Kirby was ecstatic about his presents. He loved the bike he received from Ness, Lucas and Toon Link the best. Kirby was impatient to try it out. Since the afternoon wasn't busy, they took Kirby outside to teach him to ride it. Jigglypuff and Meta Knight came along too. The pink puffball gladly appreciated the company.

However, learning how to ride a bike wasn't as simple as the children first thought; especially if the one learning was carefree and probably wouldn't understand. The _easy_ part was getting Kirby to sit on the bicycle seat. Ness showed him how to grasp the handles in front of him once he was properly seated. With Kirby bouncing up and down repeatedly, it took twenty minutes for him to grasp the concept. That was only the _first_ step…

The second step involved using his feet to move the pedals. Kirby didn't have legs, therefore he couldn't reach. This called for drastic measures.

/One Hour of Frustration of Moving the Bike Pedals to Kirby's Reach Later\

"That should do it," Ness said, out of breath from all the work. "Kirby should be able to reach them now."

Kirby was actually doing pretty good, but he wasn't moving all that fast. "Meda Nigh! Poyo!"

Meta Knight walked over to the bike. "All right, I'll help you." He gave the bike a small push and let Kirby begin pedalling. Kirby began picking up speed, also because he was approaching a downwards hill. His velocity kept increasing as he proceeded down the steep hill. Kirby was heading in a straight line towards the crazy place of Nintendoville.

Toon Link sighed impatiently. "Nice going Meta Knight! Look what you did. Now Kirby's gonna die!"

"Yes!!!" came Dedede's voice behind them. "That there Kirby will get what he deserves."

Meta Knight glared at Dedede. He allowed his cape to transform into his wings. He followed Kirby as he was riding downhill on the bike.

"Scratch that," Toon Link said. "They're both gonna die."

--

"Poyo!" Kirby said happily, letting go of the handles as the bike proceeded to ride down the hill. He happily enjoyed the ride as it continued to take him through the busy highway. He passed through a red light more than once and broke through the wall of Brewster's coffee shop as K.K Slider was performing another one of his songs.

The crowd gasped as Kirby rode through the building like a hot knife through butter. K.K Slider messed up the last notes of the song and glared at the pink puffball, obviously ticked off. Kirby smiled and waved as he passed through the angry crowd and broke down another wall as he left. Following that was Meta Knight flying in pursuit.

"Um…coffee anyone?" Brewster asked, trying to lighten the mood.

As Kirby was riding into another crowded intersection, there was a faint sound of several cups breaking in the coffee shop and a very terrified scream. Kirby quickly sped through another red light and was heading in a straight line towards an oncoming car.

"Kirby, watch out!" Meta Knight shouted at him. He was trying to fly as fast as he could to the creampuff, but when he was beginning to approach him, he collided into a traffic sign and groaned in pain as he collapsed.

Kirby rode through the doors into the Museum of Fine, Rare and Breakable Stuff. Every single rare painting in history, ancient artefact and display was utterly destroyed. The owner of the museum was promptly horrified and actually fainted.

At long last, Meta Knight finally reached Kirby. With joy and happiness, Kirby jumped off his bike and hugged Meta Knight tightly causing to gasp for breath. "Daddy, poyo!"

As the bike continued into the intersection, the honking of car horns could be heard and crashes evident.

Exhaustion overwhelmed Meta Knight and he slowly drifted out of consciousness.

--

Meta Knight awoke on his bed under the blankets. He blinked a few times out of confusion as he tried to figure out where he was. As he sat up, he felt a sharp pain in his arm and he lay back down in his bed, groaning in pain. He looked down at his left arm to see that it had been tightly bandaged. Perhaps it had been hurt badly during the crazy trip to Nintendoville.

Jigglypuff smiled happily. "Thank goodness you're awake Meta Knight! I'm so glad you are all right!"

"What…happened?" He managed to say.

"An hour ago, Kirby came back from Nintendoville carrying you back to the Smash Mansion. He seemed really worried about you. I heard that you had a rough time out there…I hope you're okay."

"I will be Jigglypuff, dear," Meta Knight said softly, causing her to blush. "…I'm…just tired…I think I need to rest a while longer."

"No problem Meta Knight! You can rest as long as you like!" Jigglypuff assured him. She felt his gloved hand stroke her cheek before his eyes darkened, indicating that he was sleeping. Jigglypuff lifted his mask slightly to kiss him on the cheek. Her hand gently stroked his as well. "Sleep well Meta Knight…I love you…"

As she spoke those words, he leaned against her, smiling in content as he continued to sleep in peace.


	6. Episode Five, Part 1

**Author's Notes: Wow, I managed to write another chapter and able to update again this weekend. (dances around happily) All right, this chapter is kind of sad, but very fluffy too. I do not want to spoil it for anyone so I hope you enjoy the extra update from me!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related. **

Episode 5, Part 1:

Loyalty in Love!

--

Two weeks after Kirby's birthday were the same chaotic and hectic routine. The day after the party had been like an ordinary day, except for the fact that Kirby went outdoors with his friends to ride on his new bike that was somehow undamaged throughout the trip in Nintendoville. The bike was found by another resident who luckily knew who it belonged to and sent it back to the Smash Mansion. Meta Knight only allowed Kirby to ride on the bike on condition he did it away from the hills and away from Nintendoville. The children easily discovered another place for riding so that was out of the way.

However, replacing that worry was that Jigglypuff was scheduled for an afternoon brawl against Snake. Meta Knight worried for her so much. He knew based on past experiences that this would be another excellent opportunity for the others to tease her again. Memories of her past echoed through his mind once again.

"_I feel sad when I am teased at the only home I ever had. The Smash Brothers Tournaments were the only place I felt like someone…and others find it amusing to torment me for being weak. None of them would understand what I had to go through. Even if I go back in there, losing today's brawl would be one of their main gossip topics."_

A painful ache found its way into Meta Knight's stomach so he decided to skip lunch yet again. The thought of other Smashers teasing her made him so angry. Even thinking about the afternoon made his hands squeeze into tight fists. For a brief second, he eyes flashed red causing many confused looks from everyone near him. Meta Knight remembered he was in the cafeteria and not in his bedroom alone so he kept his composure and acted as if he was fine.

Jigglypuff seemed melancholic when she dragged herself out of bed and slowly went downstairs. Instead of eating anything, she stood by the window alone feeling depressed. She knew what was to come in the afternoon. She felt a bit better when Meta Knight stood by her side.

"…Good morning Meta Knight…" she said trying to sound cheerful but worry clouded the upbeat tone in her voice.

"Good morning Jigglypuff," he replied inching a little bit closer to her. "Did you sleep well?"

A sad sigh escaped her lips. "No, not quite. This afternoon's brawl has been on my mind all night. To make it worse, I'm up against Snake, and you know how nasty fighting him can be. Every attack is painful, especially those explosions…" She trailed off, biting her lip so he wouldn't burst into tears. "Oh Meta Knight, I'm so scared!"

"It will be all right Jigglypuff," Meta Knight softly whispered to her, understanding evident in his expression beneath the mask. Then he spoke so quietly that only she could hear him. "I love you…"

"I love you too," Jigglypuff whispered back, snuggling against his side. They received a couple of stares, but they didn't notice seeing as they were too busy enjoying each other's company.

Ike's suspicions deepened even further seeing the two so close together. It wouldn't have crossed his mind if their sides weren't touching in an affectionate manner. He was continued to be lead to the conclusion that the two were in love, but that didn't seem possible. Ike was still firm on Meta Knight not having emotions. However, when he attempted to talk to Marth about it, he was ignored. Who else had suspicions like he did? There _had_ to be _somebody_!

"Ahem," the Master Hand said, making another announcement. "Every Smasher may not proceed down to the stadium to watch the afternoon brawl between Jigglypuff and Snake. Afterwards, Luigi and Olimar will fight in the stadium. Good luck to all of you fighting today."

Jigglypuff sighed. _"Good luck? He must not realize that__** I**__ will be one of the Smashers fighting. Does he really think I even stand a chance at winning? Apparently not." _She didn't even dare look up at Snake who was also heading for the Brawl Stadium transporter. He seemed to be confident of winning the match and Jigglypuff wasn't the slightest bit surprised. "_Anyone can win easily against…a weakling like me…I'd be a fool to deny that…"_

Snake raised an eyebrow in amusement before entering the stadium. "Try not to die out there…" he said in a mocking tone, causing her to feel sad inside. How tired of those comments, she was.

"Oh, I'm sure I will, _don't worry_!" Jigglypuff spat out the last words out of anger and frustration. "At least you'll have something to tease me about after."

As foreseen earlier, Snake's attacks were as painful as she thought and experienced.

"_All right, I can do this. Must calm down, ands maybe I'll have a chance at finally winning a match…Ugh, who am I kidding. Me, a good fighter. I wish…"_ She screamed as another missal exploded, increasing the damage she was taking. Several more accompanied the first shot, which Snake had never done before.

One more attack followed after the other, and Jigglypuff didn't know how long she would last. She felt so close to tears but she wasn't going to let that show.

"_I'm…sorry…"_ Jigglypuff silently thought as Snake slowly walked over to her, preparing to do the finishing blow.

Suddenly, the faint sound of sizzling could be heard from behind Snake, but he took no notice. "Weakling, this is it. Are you ready?"

Jigglypuff nodded solemnly. "…Y-Yes."

Snake was about to attack when he became aware of what was behind him. An inch away was a bomb about to explode. Snake swore under his breath as he was blasted out of the stadium.

"The winner is Jigglypuff…by a miracle," the Master Hand announced. "It seemed the odds were in her favour. Next up is Luigi and Olimar. Could you two make your way down to the stadium please?"

Jigglypuff released a shaky breath of relief as she returned back to the Smash Mansion. She didn't feel like seeing the others right now. However, after the match, she could distinctly hear insults among the voices of the other Smashers.

"Jigglypuff, you cheater." Wolf said as she passed him. "Finally decided to pull a smart move?"

"No! I didn't!" Jigglypuff sighed when she was completely ignored.

"That there Jigglypuff would never have won if it weren't for that bomb! You never fought back weakling!" Dedede shouted at her.

Jigglypuff's eyes burned with tears. "Please stop, it's not my fault!"

"Keep on dreaming," Snake muttered from behind. "I never expected you would stoop so low enough to cheat."

"Stop! Leave me alone! I'm tired of this!"

"And were tired of you bein' in the tournaments!" Dedede shot back.

Marth and Zelda exchanged a nervous glance. They knew this one was going to get ugly.

"I could say the same about you," came a mysterious voice from the doorway. The Smashers turned in surprise to see Meta Knight, eyes red with anger. "Every time Jigglypuff loses a match, you find it amusing to tease her. I am ashamed to be your servant."

Dedede was taken aback by that statement. "When did you- You can't talk to me like that!"

"I can talk to you however I wish Dedede," Meta Knight said fiercely. Shock spread throughout him. That was the first time he never addressed Dedede as a King.

"Ya think you're so smart, don't you. How dare you go against me like that! Don't tell me you're standing up for that weakling over there!"

"That is exactly what I am doing."

Everyone gasped.

"Why is it that most in this room find it amusing to tease Jigglypuff? Are you not aware of the horrible experiences she had to endure before she became a Smasher?" Many of the Smashers looked down, some shamed. "Jigglypuff was constantly put down, abused and she seeked a life where she could be happy. She never did anything wrong to you, yet you never have a problem with reminding her of the pain, the sorrow, _the hurt_!"

Some looked away awkwardly, not daring to look at Jigglypuff.

"Why must you all put her down like you do? Do you not see the kind, gentle and loving person she is deep down in her heart? Power is not what is most important. Must it matter if one is not strong physically if they have a pure heart? Jigglypuff is truly the kindest one I have ever known and I am proud of her. Each time she was put down by you, revenge never crossed her mind. Not once did she wish bad things upon others." Meta Knight turned to Dedede. "If you cannot accept her for who she is, then I shall no longer be your servant."

Dedede's expression was one of shock and astonishment. "If…If you do something like that…I won't let you back into Dreamland!"

"So be it." Meta Knight walked over to Jigglypuff's side. "Once this tournament is over, I'll stay with Jigglypuff at the Smash Mansion."

Jigglypuff looked up at him, eyes shining with tears of happiness in her eyes, but with slight sorrow. _"Meta Knight's giving up going back to his home planet for me…" _She snuggled against him. "Thank you so much…I love you."

The whole room went silent instantly. Did they just hear Jigglypuff say that she loved Meta Knight? Ike could hardly believe it. No one else really did either.

"I love you too," Meta Knight replied, hugging Jigglypuff close to him. She leaned on his shoulder, crying softly. He gently wiped the tears away from her face. "There, there, don't cry…It's all right…"

Dedede stomped away from the room in rage. Everyone could hear a huge crash a while after he turned the corner and a loud scream of pain.

No one had the ability to say anything at the moment. They didn't wish to disturb the heart-warming moment either. They now knew that Meta Knight and Jigglypuff were deeply in love. Though as impossible as it seemed, it was the truth. Everyone knew one thing for certain.

They had some apologizing to do and an angry penguin to avoid.

--

**Next Chapter: Loyalty in Love, Part 2**

**Author's Comments: Again, I hope you enjoyed it. I had plenty of fun writing this today. Hopefully, part 2 will be done soon! **


	7. Episode Five, Part 2

**Author's Notes: Part 2 is finally here for "Loyalty in Love." However, I missed three days of school this week so I'll be busy catching up on schoolwork. Afterwards, I have exams. There won't be another update until the end of the month because of that. I hope you enjoy the new chapter for the series!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.**

**Next Chapter- Puffball Chefs**

**--**

Episode 5, Part 2:

Loyalty in Love!

--

Two hours after the incident in the hallway, a cruel and unusual punishment commenced in the Smash Mansion. The Master Hand rarely used this method when deciding the consequences because the same problem was never resolved.

Treadmills were turned on, walls were slammed by a huge mallet and various moans of horror and torture by the villains echoed. Wario felt as though he was dying as he ate a huge plate of carrots, Wolf was struggling to lift heavy weights and Dedede was running on a treadmill and occasionally used his hammer to take out his anger. The atmosphere in the room was very tense…

The villains held captive in this horrible place felt as though they would not survive the day ahead. Hope slowly faded…all because of this place.

This was known as the detention hall gladly constructed by none other than the Master Hand. He heard the commotion downstairs and asked what happened. Meta Knight and Jigglypuff explained the situation and the teasing. They made sure to mention who had been bullying her whenever she lost a match.

The Master Hand was furious, needless to say and Snake, Wario and Dedede were a couple of the ones in the detention hall of doom facing their worst horrors: exercise, healthy eating and anger management. The Master Hand hired someone from Nintendoville to teach them lessons on respect. All in all, they were sentenced to detention for two weeks.

**Up In the Bedroom:**

Jigglypuff sighed in content as she leaned against Meta Knight. She was happier than ever for the first time since she arrived to the Smash Brothers Tournaments. Many apologized for their rude behaviour while the ones who never bullied her congratulated Meta Knight and Jigglypuff for becoming a couple. They were relieved that they understood their feelings. As a result, Meta Knight became more open and talked to other Smashers more, now knowing that it was all right to trust them.

"I'm glad the Master Hand punished those bullies," Jigglypuff said to Meta Knight.

"So am I."

"But…"

"What is it?"

"You gave up going back to your home planet for me…That was truly unexpected, but very thoughtful." Jigglypuff hugged him. "You are truly the nicest person I ever knew. I love you so much Meta Knight!"

"I love you too," Meta Knight said in reply very softly. He slowly lifted his mask and quickly kissed her on the cheek. Jigglypuff's hand removed the mask from his face, surprising him completely. Slowly, she placed her lips upon his, causing him to blush. His heart rate increased severely as he kissed her back.

However, Jigglypuff was unaware of one thing…

She had another brawl in two days with Ganondorf.

…This wouldn't sit well with her…

--

Jigglypuff was in a total panic by the time she went downstairs to get breakfast. Knowing she had another brawl frightened her beyond belief. Fighting Ganondorf was much worse than Snake, who fortunately couldn't bother her anyway still being in the detention hall. However, Jigglypuff knew some sort of immediate action must be taken.

An idea developed as Meta Knight walked into the cafeteria that morning. He seemed to be an expert at fighting in the stadium. Perhaps…well, it was worth a try.

"Uh, Meta Knight, I need to ask you something."

"Yes, what is it Jigglypuff?" Meta Knight asked with concern.

"Well, you see…"

--

Jigglypuff glared at the Sandbag in front of her, concentrating on improving her skills with fighting. She often paused in between to clear her mind of any thoughts and to keep focused on getting stronger. The training had only begun twenty minutes ago and she was already feeling exhausted. Determination keep her spirits high and to keep working at her goal.

Meta Knight kept an eye on her at the back of the room and sometimes gave advice whenever she did something wrong. He taught her to keep her guard up at all times and not panic which had been Jigglypuff's main mistakes. Little by little, she was improving at it, but she still had ways to go. She wanted to know how to be a better fighter in two days. How stressful her life was right now.

Jigglypuff attacked much slower. She was so close to collapsing from exhaustion.

"Stay focused!" She heard Meta Knight say to her.

"I-I'm trying as hard as I can!" Jigglypuff protested.

"To improve on your skill is equally as important as increasing your endurance. You must push yourself past your limits if you hope to succeed," Meta Knight explained, tone serious. "Remember why you are here."

"_That's right…I am here to become a stronger Smasher. I must improve for my sake. No one would be able to tease me again…" _Jigglypuff thought. Memories flowed through her mind at the moment giving her more stamina and the will to continue.

"_However, I was relieved that there would be no more beatings when I made mistakes."_

That's right. There wouldn't be. If Jigglypuff did improve drastically, her life would be so much easier and she could live in peace. Her strikes slowly became stronger and along with that new strength, she learned how to use a more powerful rollout attacks. As the hours passed one after another, her confidence began to rise for the first time along with her self-esteem.

"Ganondorf, you're going down," Jigglypuff thought as she and Meta Knight went to the cafeteria for supper. She no longer felt afraid about her upcoming brawl, but instead, felt hopeful due to the training. Jigglypuff would finally prove to the others that she had potential deep within her.

--

Jigglypuff gazed into the horizon as the sun was setting. Gentle breezes swept across her face, relaxing her and providing comfort. So much happened that day. She won the brawl against Ganondorf. As he passed through the stadium boundaries, happiness filled her entire being as the crowd cheered for her enthusiastically.

How she treasured every moment of her victory. After desperately trying to become stronger, the goal was finally accomplished at last. Jigglypuff was truly grateful to the training Meta Knight had given her and the kindness he provided her with.

"_If it wasn't for Meta Knight, this would never have been possible," _Jigglypuff thought, sighing with content. She smiled, remembering the time when she told him about her past, the first time they kissed and the moments they shared together. Through all the hardships she endured during the third Super Smash Brothers Tournament, Meta Knight was there for her and comforted her when need be. It gave her the determination to achieve success.

"_Did I only want to improve my fighting skills so I would no longer be teased and be haunted by my past? Or was there some other reason?"_

The moon had begun to slowly rise up high into the twinkling starry sky. Though darkness was spreading across the land quickly, Jigglypuff didn't care. Her mind was too wrapped up in her thoughts. Deep down she knew that there was another reason.

When did she feel the need to reach her potential the most? Jigglypuff knew this begun when she came to the Smash Mansion on the first day of Brawl. At first she thought it was because she feared being teased again and making a fool of herself in the new tournament. In truth, she knew it was because she didn't want to appear weak to Meta Knight. The first time she saw him fight in a brawl, she was amazed by how skilfully he could handle a sword. She wanted him to notice her, but thought that would never be possible. How surprised she had been when Meta Knight accepted her for who she was.

Eventually, all of her pondering led her to the conclusion that she also wanted to improve for Meta Knight. Because Jigglypuff admired Meta Knight so much, she wished to be more like him. Her face felt warmer at the thought of him.

"Thank you so much Meta Knight…" Jigglypuff said softly as another gentle breeze blew across her face. "Without you, I would never have become what I am now."


	8. Episode Six

**Author's Notes: I ended up writing another chapter after all, though exams are coming up. The next update may take a while, so hopefully, this is a good chapter. Enjoy the next episode!**

**Next Chapter: Ice Skating**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.**

Episode Six:

Puffball Chefs

The first Super Smash Brothers Brawl Holiday Season finally arrived at the Smash Mansion causing everyone to be in high spirits. Christmas would be here in three weeks and everyone was excited for the 25th of December. The Master Hand came up with an idea to get everybody in the mood for the holiday cheer.

For that reason, the Smashers were all seated in the main room listening to another morning announcement. "Today, in honour of the holiday season, a cooking contest will be held for all of you. You can divide into groups and work in any of the cooking stations you wish. If you require any materials, utensils or food that are not currently in your station, you may ask the Crazy Hand, myself and guests from Nintendoville will be judging what you cook. Good luck to all of you."

"Wait, do we all have to participate?" Ike asked, not interested in cooking anything.

"Participation is mandatory, however, working in a group is optional," the Master Hand replied.

"Darn," Ike muttered, not trying to come with a plan to get out of cooking anything. Luckily for him, an idea was soon to cross his mind. The people he decided to have in his group, Marth and Link, agreed to the plan, hoping it would work.

"Cool, I love cooking!" Jigglypuff said, squealing with joy, jumping up and down along with Kirby. Cooking was actually one of her favourite pastimes. She spotted Meta Knight standing in one of the cooking stations and inspiration came to her. She walked over to him, smiling. "Hey Meta Knight?"

"Yes?"

"Did you want to team up with me and Kirby to help you cook?" Jigglypuff offered. "You'll need all the help you can get."

"Yes please. Thank you for the assistance," Meta Knight said, smiling behind his mask. "What did you have in mind that we should cook first?"

"We should definitely make a cake, but it's got to be huge because everyone else is likely to do that. Then we should make some soup! Kirby can cook that!" Kirby smiled and prepared his cooking pot at the mention of cooking soup. "What do you plan on making?"

"…Spaghetti," came Meta Knight's reply.

"That sounds great! Good luck with that. I'll get started on that cake then!" With that, Jigglypuff went to the cupboards to get all the ingredients she needed.

"This will be perfect!" Ike said in a proud tone as he gazed down at the ingredients laid out on the counter in his group's station which was only a variety of canned goods. "With this, our meal can look good and only take a few minutes to make."

"…Are you sure this will work?" Marth asked, uncertainly.

"It has too! This plan is foolproof! Come on you two, open those cans! The sooner this is over with, the better," Ike protested.

"Uh, all right, if you say so," Link said as he picked up a can opener, Marth doing the same.

Jigglypuff looked down at her mixing bowls contents to see if she was following the recipe correctly. Something didn't look right. Perhaps adding a bit of salt may work. She added a spoonful in and continued to mix the strange contents that had been randomly put in the bowl. Now she needed sugar. As her hand reached for the sugar, she knocked the vinegar over from the shelf beside her and fell into the mixing bowl. _"Oh no! Anything but the vinegar!"_ The bowl's contents quickly reacted because of the salt she added. All the contents fizzed and expanded until the bowl overflowed.

"Meta Knight, help me!" Jigglypuff called, not knowing what to do.

Meta Knight, who was in the process of finishing draining the hamburger meat for the spaghetti looked up form the sink. "What is it Jigglypuff? Did something happen?"

Jigglypuff showed him the mess that remained from the incident with the vinegar, looking very sheepish. "I kind of messed up trying to make a cake and now I don't know what to do next."

"First of all," Meta Knight began to explain. "You need to use the ingredients according to the recipe. You cannot throw in anything you want and expect it to turn out right. Also, you need to be aware of your surroundings in the kitchen. Remember, it can always get worse than vinegar…"

"Okay, I'll be more careful next time. First I'll get this mess cleaned up."

"Good luck with that," he said, smiling. Jigglypuff smiled back, knowing his was there behind his mask.

Meanwhile, Kirby was cutting up vegetables for the soup that he was presently making in his cooking pot. In went the vegetables, the spices, cake mix that Jigglypuff never got around to using, fruit and…food colouring? Not good…

As it brewed in the food, it reacted quickly with the other ingredients and created an explosion. Coloured ingredients flew everywhere and to Meta Knight's misfortune, some landed in his cooking. He sighed in annoyance, having spent time working on browning that meat, only to have it be spoiled with purple potatoes.

Ike snickered from the station beside him. "Having fun with the puffballs Meta Knight?"

Meta Knight glared at him and threw the spoiled meat in Ike's face causing a surprised reaction and a laughing Marth and Link.

"He…got…you…that…time!" Link said between laughs.

Ike groaned and folded his arms in annoyance. How he wanted revenge. There would be plenty of time for that. He was making his dinner the lazy way. "I wouldn't be laughing if I were you," he warned Marth and Link, but they didn't listen. Ike turned around when he heard a laugh sounding foreign to his ears. He felt annoyed when he saw that Meta Knight's eyes were pink…and he was laughing at him. Revenge indeed.

Marth looked up from his cooking and wondered why Ike wasn't working. "Ike, are you already done?"

"Yes," he said, motioning to his plate of canned goods.

"There are still lots of time left. You could make something else," Marth suggested.

"Okay, fine."

Meanwhile, Jigglypuff was starting to bake muffins and Kirby was starting on another bowl of soup. This time Meta Knight was passing the ingredients one by one to him. Ike was beginning to make a stir-fry and was waiting for it to finish cooking. Getting bored, he decided this would be a great opportunity to plot his revenge. He slipped a bottle saying "Do Not Use," into the ingredients Meta Knight was passing Kirby.

Ike smirked as Kirby dumped the whole bottles contents into the bowl of soup. Very soon it would take effect.

"Ike, what is so interesting over there?" Link asked.

"Nothing, but a sabotage," Ike replied, a smug grin on his face.

"A sabotage?" Link questioned, confused. Soon after he spoke, an explosion took place in the station next to them. Kirby and Meta Knight had been in the way of the explosion of black food colouring and were partly coloured in it.

And the soup was ruined again.

Jigglypuff was catching on to what Ike was planning. _"So…he doesn't want any competition so he'll win. That's why he is trying to sabotage us. That works both ways."_ She snuck over to Ike's stir-fry with a bowl of sugar when he and his group were temporarily gone for a bathroom break. The sugar quickly melted before the three arrived at their station as soon as Jigglypuff resumed what she was doing.

Ike lifted a fork and took a small bite of his stir-fry to taste test it. His eyes widened and he coughed, trying to spit it out. "Too…sweet! Ugh…"

"Jeez Ike, how much sugar did you put in there?" Link asked, trying not to look on the look on his face.

"The whole bowl," Marth replied, trying not to laugh as well.

Ike glared at Meta Knight, thinking he was the one who did that. _"He's going to get it now. No more Mister Nice Guy."_ He saw a perfect opportunity for revenge seeing as Meta Knight was keeping an eye on Kirby so the soup would come out right this time. He crept over to the mixing bowl that Meta Knight was using to make a cake. He set the speed on max, grinned and snuck back to his own station.

By the time Meta Knight went to turn on the mixer, all the contents went from the bowl onto his mask. His eyes turned red as he tried to find a towel to wipe the mess off of him. Ike was carrying a cake out of the oven that just finished cooking. He glanced towards Meta Knight and chuckled when he saw success of his revenge. However when he was laughing, the cake tray tilted and it fell on him, creating a big mess on his clothes. "Oh crap!" he muttered.

"There is now five more minutes left for everyone to prepare an entry for the cooking contest. Please bring in what you made at that time. Thank you," the Master Hand announced.

Meta Knight and Ike desperately looked in the cupboards to find any last minute food to make. Luckily, they both found what they needed and got to work. Every group brought in an entry to the judging table. At the fancy table sat Brewster, the Crazy Hand, the Master Hand, K.K. Slider and Phyllis. One by one, they tasted each of the meals.

Mario was first to be judged. He gave everyone a blueberry pancake topped with spaghetti sauce and garlic. Brewster was the first one to taste and nearly fainted from the horrible taste.

"EWWWWW, WHO MADE THIS?!" Phyllis gagged, throwing her plate in the garbage. Pit pointed to Mario, who looked nervous.

"This dish is getting last place so far," the five decided.

The judges tasted every meal and finally finished evaluating the contestants. "In first place," the Master Hand began. "is Bowser and Olimar!"

Ike's jaw dropped. Those two actually worked together and won the competition. He should have pranked those two instead.

"In second place… Meta Knight, Jigglypuff and Kirby for a bowl of micro waved Kraft Dinner."

"At least we get the free toaster," Jigglypuff said, trying to look on the bright side.

"In third place are Ike, Link and Marth with a bowl…of micro waved meat ball stew…Congratulations for participating all of you. Hopefully, that got everyone in the holiday cheer!"

"So, that was fun wasn't it?" Jigglypuff asked Meta Knight as they went upstairs to be alone together.

"Yes it was. I had a great time."

Now that holiday season was officially beginning, that meant there was major decorating that had to be done. How wonderfully it was all turning out.


	9. Episode Seven

**Author's Notes: Wow, it's been a while since I updated huh? Hopefully this chapter will be worth the wait. Yay, longest chapter so far:D Also, I think there will be a blooper chapter so feel free to request an idea! You can either by review or PM. Either way works for me!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.**

**-- **

Episode Seven:

Ice Skating

It was a chilly December morning in the Smash Mansion with only three weeks left until Christmas. The Master Hand had to make sure the heaters were keeping every bedroom warm. Not many Smashers were pleased at having to get out of bed and into the cold cafeteria.

Jigglypuff shivered as she got out of bed. She opened her dresser drawer and took out her shawl. Wrapping it around herself, she quietly left the room so she wouldn't wake up Meta Knight, who was still sleeping soundly under the covers.

She wasn't the only one who wanted to go back to bed. From the passing Smashers she was able to identify, she saw that the girls were wearing their shawls as well while others had sweaters on. Jigglypuff took a seat at her assigned table and took a moment to try to get warm. After finishing her breakfast an hour, there was no sign of Meta Knight anywhere. _"Where could he be?"_ She thought, walking up the stairs to the bedroom. Perhaps she would read a book for a while.

Jigglypuff opened the door not so quietly. The door creaked very loudly as it continued to open the rest of the way. The floor creaked with almost every step to her dresser as she was trying to find her book. As Jigglypuff took out her book, her gaze drifted to the other side of the room to see that Meta Knight was _still_ sleeping, who never even disturbed by the noises.

She sighed. Every since the weather became cooler, Meta Knight always to sleep in more. Sure it was fine if he woke at nine, but she found it a problem if he didn't wake until noon. Jigglypuff puffed onto the bed and gently nudged his arm, which was hidden under three warm covers. He didn't budge. "Come on Meta Knight, wake up!" She said impatiently, slightly giving him a small push. After that, she could have sworn he was snoring softly.

Jigglypuff took hold of the covers and pulled them off, and in the process, caused Meta Knight to fall off the bed. He fell to the ground with a 'thud.'

Meta Knight's eyes gradually opened wearily. He pulled himself off the cold floor and looked up at Jigglypuff. "Is there any explanation why you had to do that?"

Jigglypuff waved her arms around with annoyance. "Why, yes! It's noon and should have been up a couple hours ago! How do you have to sleep so much?"

Meta Knight blinked, confused. "It is noon?"

Jigglypuff did a face-palm. "Yes!" She pointed up at the clock. "See?!"

"The clock must be wrong. Tell the Master Hand he should get it fixed." With that, Meta Knight collapsed on the ground. Soon after, soft sounds emitted from him, indicating he went back to sleep.

Jigglypuff's face went red with annoyance. Having lost her patience, she dragged Meta Knight all the way downstairs.

--

A few minutes later, Jigglypuff was sitting at in the cafeteria for lunch. Meta Knight was seated across from her at the table, still half asleep. She gently gave him another nudge on the shoulder. "Are you still sleeping?"

This went on for the next hour or so. Though Meta Knight had arrived at the breakfast table that morning, he didn't eat anything as he was half-asleep. It took Jigglypuff a lot of persistence to keep him awake. He could be a very heavy sleeper at unexpected times. She finished her breakfast and made sure not to question Meta Knight about whether he ate or not. Jigglypuff woke him up and practically dragged down to the cafeteria in the first place so perhaps she should let him be alone for a while.

However, unknown to them, the Master Hand had yet another idea for a special activity involving the Smashers. He took notice in the cold temperature in the Smash Mansion that it had been snowing rather heavily the night before. The ground was covered in shiny new snow and slippery clear ice also formed in various areas outside. This scenery simply gave him more inspiration. His plan was coming together so well so far.

An announcement could be heard all across the whole Smash Mansion as everyone was filing out of the cafeteria upon finishing their breakfast. "Attention all Smashers!" Everyone stopped in their tracks and waited for the Master Hand to continue speaking. "Due to the cold weather we have been receiving lately, there will be a special Winter activity being held outside this afternoon after lunch."

"No...way..." Ike said, groaning as a flood of memories came back to his mind. "The last time the Master Hand held an activity, it caused nothing but trouble." Marth, who was standing beside him, shrugged.

"How would those activities cause trouble? I've noticed nothing wrong come out of having fun with everyone else," Marth replied.

"Remember the cooking competition?" Ike reminded the prince, an annoyed frown on his face. "Our cooking went to disaster, we had to spend three hours in the shower cleaning ourselves from the messes from the kitchen, and spend another couple hours to fix up our station!" He sighed. "This new event will only bring trouble."

Marth didn't look at all convinced. "I am still attending the next event. Whether you wish to Ike, that's your choice. I'm not stopping you." He left Ike to search for Zelda.

"The Winter Event this afternoon," the Master Hand continued announcing. "will be Ice Skating. Skates will be provided in the storage room so be sure to get a pair before heading outside after lunch. I expect to see you all there behaving properly. Thank you."

Everyone left the cafeteria, some super excited about the Ice Skating in the afternoon and some moping in despair. ("How am I supposed to ice skate! How!?" Bowser said in outrage.) Jigglypuff was ecstatic about the event and had to try desperately to contain her excitement.

"Wow, Meta Knight, we all get to go ice skating this afternoon! I haven't ice skated in forever. Trust me, this will be much more enjoyable than the cooking competition. Aren't you looking forward to this?" Jigglypuff said at once, her happiness getting the best of her. So much for that plan to contain her excitement. In less than a minute, it went out the window.

"No, I am not," Meta Knight replied, firmly wrapping his cape around himself.

Jigglypuff looked shocked. "Why not? What's so wrong about ice skating anyway?" Then it hit her and her jaw dropped. "Meta Knight, do you know how to ice skate?"

That seemed to be the reason because Meta Knight looked down at the ground uncomfortably. An awkward silence remained for a few long moments before he spoke up. "No, I don't know how." As he admitted the truth, he could feel his face get hot behind his mask in embarrassment.

"Well, I could teach you...if you want," Jigglypuff offered, feeling uncomfortable too.

"That's very kind of you Jigglypuff. All right, you can teach me this afternoon," Meta Knight agreed, smiling behind his mask.

"All right then. It's a deal."

--

All right. This hadn't been exactly what he was expecting. He figured this wouldn't be so embarrassing for him than he thought, but regretfully, he was wrong. Ice Skating was more than learning balance and grace upon the ice. There was something about it that made him feel extremely awkward about the quickly approaching event.

Ice Skates. They looked ridiculous. And they were pink courteously given to him by Kirby. Meta Knight didn't want to upset the creampuff that went through that trouble to find him a pair so he agreed to use them.

As Meta Knight stood outside wearing the ice skates, he was blushing deeply behind his mask. He was having a lot of trouble walking so he had to move very slowly. He held onto Jigglypuff for support and she gladly obliged to do so. It also, relaxed her when he held onto her. She was experiencing the warm and fuzzy feeling again as he held her hand in a gentle and caring grip. His other arm wrapped around her so he wouldn't fall on their way to the ice rink.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one struggling to even walk without falling. Behind him and Jigglypuff were Bowser and Peach. Bowser was holding onto Peach for support too, and she was trying to hold his weight as well as maintain her balance on the slippery ice. And the other villains looked sullen and outright gloomy. Neither Dedede, Ganondorf, Wolf or Wario looked happy as the last of the Smashers arrived at the ice rink after twenty long minutes.

To Meta Knight's relief, no one really paid him much notice as he thought they would, except for Kirby who was excited to see his father figure arrive, the main reason being that he was not making a scene that demanded attention like others were. Ike was complaining the whole way there (he didn't know how to skate either) but Marth was simply amused. Bowser was doing a great job of unintentially making a fool of himself. If only Peach hadn't convinced him to come here...

Many were already skating on the ice by the time Meta Knight and Jigglypuff arrived there. He was still too nervous to step on the ice and afraid to make a fool of himself. Grace and balance were never his strengths on ice, but Meta Knight knew eventually he would have to try.

Jigglypuff gazed into his eyes. "Did you want to try skating Meta Knight?"

"I suppose so," he replied, holding onto her for balance and support. As they inched closer to the ice, Meta Knight's heart rate slowly increased, but he tried to stay calm on the outside. If it was only himself and Jigglypuff outside, he would have let his emotions show. The trust between them was much stronger now after what they experienced together in the last couple months back in November.

Meta Knight took his first step on the ice. He slowly slid forward, with Jigglypuff at his side, against his own will. The ice was extra slippery today as he unfortunately realized at that moment. He felt like squeezing his eyes shut, but managed to keep them open. He had to think with a calm mind right now. There was no time for panic. Jigglypuff guided him along as they gracefully slid in a semi-circle hands holding each other's lovingly. He enjoyed the feeling of skating after a while, but it also scared him a little too. Meta Knight thought he was going to fall a few times, but Jigglypuff caught him before that happened.

"Come on Ike! You can do this," Zelda encouraged the swordsman. "You've faced worse than ice skating. You can do it."

"Yes, that's right. Ike, this isn't like the cooking competition. It's all right," Marth assured him. Ike unfolded his crossed arms, now relenting.

"Fine, but if something goes wrong, I'm blaming it on you." Ike took a step forward on the ice and allowed himself to gracefully be lead further. He soon felt so proud of himself, his self confidence went overboard. "Hey everybody, look at me!" Ike tried showing off his 'graceful' moves. As he was about to finish a crazy eight, he fell backwards and landed on the ice very hard. As he made impact, a large crack formed where he landed. "...ouch..."

Normally, many would be laughing, but the impact acted like a small earthquake so everyone else on the same area of ice had to keep balance; some were lucky, some were not.

Jigglypuff gasped when the ice shook and clung onto Meta Knight out of reflex. He did so too, but he realized when he had his arms wrapped around her, his face was only an inch away from hers. He tried to gracefully glide them across the ice so they wouldn't fall, but he had too much difficulty. Jigglypuff opened her eyes once everything became silent. She hoped the danger was over with and done. She was surprised to see that she was on top of Meta Knight, but realized he must have fell trying to get them out of the small earthquake.

Meta Knight's face was scarlet realizing that he fell. He was completely and utterly ashamed. He was also embarrassed knowing everyone had seen the commotion. With Jigglypuff on top of him, lying on his mask, their faces were only an inch apart again. His blush deepened. As he tried to stand up after Jigglypuff got back up herself, he fell down again. Ike chuckled.

Jigglypuff glared at Ike as he helped Meta Knight stand again, whose eyes were now completely purple. He was too embarrassed to even look at her in the eyes and instead, his gaze remained towards the ground. She knew he was feeling very uncomfortable so she led them off of the ice and helped him walk back to the Smash Mansion.

Once they were alone in the main room, Meta Knight reached towards the clasps on his mask and took it off. He placed it on the table next to him. Jigglypuff sat down next to him on the couch. His eyes were still purple and his blushing cheeks were still bright red, but Jigglypuff didn't say anything about it. They held hands in silence until Meta Knight spoke up. "I'm sorry about what happened Jigglypuff. It was my fault that we fell in the first place."

"You don't need to apologize for that. It's okay." Her face was only an inch away from his. "I understand."

Meta Knight smiled, now feeling fluttery inside. Since it was only the two of them alone, it would be safe to let his emotions show again. "Thank you so much Jigglypuff for your understanding." He leaned closer to her and pressed his lips against hers. Jigglypuff was surprised at first not expecting the romantic gesture, but she leaned in the kiss too and allowed herself to enjoy the moment, hands stroking his cheeks in the process. His arms wrapped around her in a tender hug. When their lips separated, he whispered softly, "I love you Jigglypuff."

"I love you too," she whispered as they leaned in again. Ice Skating may not have been a success, but their companionship made up for it.


	10. Episode Eight

**Author's Notes: Sorry for not updating last weekend. This chapter got lots of inspiration so it took extra long writing this. Holy, this made about 4000 words. Longest chapter yet. Only one more episode of the Series before bloopers. Wow, this story came such a long way. Thank you to all who reviewed! You're all awesome:)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.**

**--**

Episode Eight:

The Slumber Party of Chaos

The sunrise slowly appeared over the horizon at the Smash Mansion bringing the morning a beautiful sight. This was one of the only moments when everyone could sit back, relax or sleep in, depending on the situation. The faint chirping of birds could be heard in the distance in all the silence of the early morning.

All was silent and well at the Smash Mansion....

"Meta Knight, wake up! I've got something very important to tell you!" Jigglypuff said, a little too loud for Meta Knight's liking, especially since he was sleeping.

Maybe not all was silent and well after all.

"Jigglypuff, I'm trying to sleep," Meta Knight said from underneath the covers, exhaustion still evident in his tone. He pulled the blankets completely over himself, trying to go back to sleep.

"But this is very important! You've already slept all night already," Jigglypuff replied, pouting a little. "Can't you at least hear the good news before you go back to sleep?"

"No," he replied, snuggling up against the blankets. "Perhaps in a few hours, but not now..."

Jigglypuff opened her mouth to speak when she heard soft snoring from under the covers. Annoyed, she sighed and paced around the room deciding what action to take. To start, she tried nudging his arm again hidden under the covers. As she expected, she received no response. Jigglypuff used both hands to pull the covers off Meta Knight. This time, his eyes opened, but there was a scowl on his face. Because his mask was off, he looked extra cute.

"Please, I'm trying to sleep," Meta Knight said wearily, hugging his pillow close to him for warmth, the blankets having being taken from him by force.

"Well I guess that will have to wait, won't it? At least until I tell you the good news?" Jigglypuff said, now trying to compromise.

Meta Knight sighed. "Fine, what is it?"

"Well, you see, it has been one-" Jigglypuff was cut off by the sounds of excited screams and footsteps stampeding down the hallway. Suddenly they saw their door to the bedroom break away from the hinges and on the ground laid an exhausted Dedede. "There goes the door," she sighed.

Then Ganondorf came flying in the room landing on top of the fat blue penguin on the ground, resulting in many screams. During the commotion, Meta Knight put his mask back on his face before anyone could see it. Ganondorf stood up and left to get revenge on Bowser, who he had been fighting with on their way to the cafeteria without even realizing that he crushed Dedede.

"I...hate him," Dedede said, trying to stand up. The door that had been broken landed on him afterwards, causing him to fall again. Both Jigglypuff and Meta Knight sighed.

"Jigglypuff, does this 'good news' have anything do with free for alls first thing in the morning?"

Jigglypuff looked down. "No, not at all. I suppose everyone is rather excited about tonight."

"I think they are...but what exactly is going on here?" Meta Knight asked, his confusion increasing rather quickly. What could possibly cause so much noise in the morning besides line ups for breakfast?

--

Ike groaned banging his head on a table resulting in a loud 'thud.' With a moan of pain, he clutched his head.

"That wasn't exactly the best thing to do Ike," Marth said, who was seated beside Zelda. "Seriously, a sleepover party is not going to kill you."

"Ice skating nearly did!" Ike protested, not bothering to look up from the table. "When I fell, it _hurt_. I couldn't sit without pain for nearly _two weeks._ No, this time I am serious about not participating."

"Let's put it this way Ike. You are not exactly a good ice skater. Sleeping over in the main room spending time with everyone else is _not_ going to hurt you. Besides, you mainly get to eat any kind of food you want," Marth began.

"And you get to tell scary stories," Link interjected taking a seat at their table. He narrowed his eyes. "I've definitely got a scary one to tell this year. You all better be ready."

"You better not tell _that _story. I've heard it too many times and believe me, you don't want to know," Toon Link warned.

Link groaned and slumped in his seat. "Toon Link, do you have to spoil everything? Honestly...I really wanted to tell that story."

"What story?" they heard Ness say from behind them.

"Link was going to tell a story about wolves!" Toon Link replied, before his older self could stop him.

A frightened look spread across Lucas' face when he heard that. He ran out of the cafeteria before anyone could say "Boo." As Meta Knight and Jigglypuff went through the doorway, Lucas nearly ran them over.

"What was that all about?" Jigglypuff asked.

"Link was planning on telling scary stories this year." Marth replied. "Of course, Toon Link spoiled it and when Lucas found out what it was about, he was scared."

"Why is everyone so scared of my wolf story?" Link blurted out, demanding an answer. "It isn't that bad, is it?"

"Why does Link want to tell stories all the sudden?" Meta Knight asked.

"The Master Hand came up with this oh-so-wonderful idea of doom by having a sleepover party in the main room for everyone to celebrate being in Super Smash Brothers Brawl for an entire year tonight," Ike summarized in one sentence without pausing.

"A sleepover party?"

"Yes, that's right. I was going to tell you earlier, but with all this chaos...Sorry about that," Jigglypuff said.

"That's all right," Meta Knight replied.

"Which reminds me..." An 'oh crap' look spread across Ike's face. "I don't have any decent pajamas to wear tonight! The only shirt I can wear was the same one I accidentally spilt coffee on and it never came out!"

Zelda straightened in her chair. "I'm sure it isn't that bad Ike. How big of a deal is a coffee stain?"

"The shirt is _white_ Zelda and I drink coffee _black_. I'm fairly certain it is noticeable," Ike replied, glum.

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Marth assured the swordsman. "Who else chose the pajamas they're wearing tonight?"

"Well, I did," Link replied. "I am still planning on telling that wolf story even if someone spoiled it." He glared at Toon Link. "So I decided to wear a wolf costume."

"A wolf costume?" Ike said, laughing a little, now forgetting about his pyjama predicament. "Hahaha, that oughta scare the crap out of L- Ouch, what was that for?" Zelda gave Ike a stern look as a signal to shut it.

Jigglypuff decided to get back on topic. "I already chose my pyjamas! I managed to find a gown in my dresser this morning so I suppose that will do."

"I'm sure that will do Jigglypuff." Zelda said, smiling warmly.

"Oh, I'll find some suitable pyjamas to wear for tonight. I'll look around before supper," Marth said.

"Well, as long as it's not another nightgown, I'll live," Ike remarked. "Seriously, did you give Zelda's back? You know the one you borrowed?"

"Borrowed? I knew one of my nightgowns had mysteriously vanished, but Marth...Ike, are you serious or are you joking?" Zelda asked, worry etched onto her face like embroidery on a pillow.

Ike looked at her seriously, trying to keep a straight face. "That's right, the pink one with daisies on it. Marth still hasn't given it back yet, just so you know."

Zelda looked at Marth with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Do you have any pyjamas for the sleepover Meta Knight?" Ike asked, thankfully shifting the spotlight off of Marth.

"...No."

"He doesn't have any," Jigglypuff added. "He always sleeps with his armour on and it only has been a few days since he started to take his mask off before bed."

"J-Jigglypuff," Meta Knight said stuttering, now starting to blush beet red.

"What's so bad about your face anyway Meta Knight?" Ike asked, putting his feet up on the table. "What could possibly be so bad about-" He was cut off because Zelda elbowed him as a signal to put his feet down. As his feet returned to the ground, it knocked his cup of coffee onto his clothes. He swore under his breath, thankfully the words he uttered could not be made out. And guess what?

His shirt was white.

Marth chuckled and Link fell out of his seat laughing. Even Meta Knight laughed, but when a few looked his way, he disguised it as a cough.

Ike stood up, annoyed. "(beep)..."

"Hey Ike, watch your language! What if the Master Hand heard you say that?" Bowser said, laughing with the other villains. Ike stormed out of the room.

"Nevermind him, he's having one of his bad mornings." Marth said to them quickly before turning back to Link, Zelda, Jigglypuff and Meta Knight.

"Meda Nigh, poyo!" came a familiar voice from behind.

"Kirby, what is it?" Meta Knight asked gently.

"Pwesent, poyo!" Kirby said, having difficulty trying to speak the word 'present.' In his stubby arms, he held a gift. He placed it into Meta Knight's gloved hands, smiling.

"Thank you so much Kirby," said Meta Knight. He carefully opened the package in order to reveal...

A cute hat resembling that to one that Kirby would wear when he became 'Sleep Kirby' was inside. Meta Knight did not what he was supposed to do with the gift, that is, until Kirby spoke up.

"Hat, poyo, sleepover."

The realization dawned upon Meta Knight and his face turned slightly red. Kirby expected him to wear that to the party? He really didn't want to upset Kirby so he managed a smile. "Thank you for the gift. It was thoughtful of you Kirby."

Now it was Link's turn to hold back laughter. Just as soon as a couple of snorts escaped him, he received a kick in the shins from Zelda. Like Ike, his coffee fell all over his lap and he uttered a curse word that no one thought he knew loudly on accident. His face went beet red when many looked at him with shocked expressions. He stormed out of the room afterwards, dripping spilt coffee on the way there.

"And then there were two," Marth said chuckling. He gasped when he felt a kick on his shins. Like the other two, his coffee spilt all over himself, except unlike Link and Ike, he kept his mouth shut and held his tongue.

"Correction; three," Zelda said, smiling.

--

Meta Knight sighed, holding the hat Kirby gave him in his gloved hands. He was in his bedroom still debating whether to wear it to the party. He knew Kirby would be very upset if he didn't. However, if he did, he would be humiliated. He would have to remove his armour to wear it properly.

Sighing, he gave in to wearing the hat. Meta Knight unhooked the straps that held his mask to his face and removed it. His hands reached to his shoulder pads and slowly took off each one and then the cape left his shoulders. He already felt completely weird with the armours absence. The only familiar feeling was his gloves which he decided to keep on. Meta Knight took the hat in his hands again and put it on. His eyes widened when he saw his reflection in the mirror. _"This does not look like me at all. How did Kirby get me into this?"_ His gaze shifted from his awkward reflection to the ground. He gasped when the door opened, but when he saw that it was Jigglypuff, he lessened up.

Jigglypuff seemed surprised to see Meta Knight without his armour, but quickly recovered as a huge grin spread across her face. How adorable he looked. "The party's starting Meta Knight! Are you coming?"

"Yes," he replied, though fear could be heard in his tone. She held his hand all the way downstairs to comfort him. He even leaned against her a little.

When he and Jigglypuff stepped in the main room, Meta Knight felt as though he was in the spotlight. Everyone had gone from dancing to crazy music to silent in shock of seeing his face and that he wasn't wearing his armour. Of course, there were a few silent awwws that he could faintly hear and the villains quietly chuckling. Meta Knight wished he had his cape at the moment to hide his blushing cheeks from everyone. He could feel them flush scarlet and he hated the poor timing of his embarrassment to show.

"Meda Nigh!" Kirby said happily, hugging his father figure, a large grin on his face. He seemed extra happy that his mentor was using his gift. "Meda Nigh came!"

Meta Knight nodded, a small smile finding it's way onto his face. "Have you been enjoying yourself Kirby?"

"Poyo!" Kirby exclaimed, jumping up and down. He took hold of Meta Knight's hand and led him to the buffet table, Jigglypuff following behind smiling. She was glad he came to the party. Everyone went back to what they were doing no longer paying any extra attention to the puffballs.

Ike, Marth, Link and Zelda were at the buffet table as well. Link, as he promised was in his wolf costume, but only had the hood down because he was eating. Ike, of course, was wearing jogging pants and a white shirt that was stained with coffee. Link, Ike and even Zelda were trying to hold back their laughter because poor Marth was dared to wear the nightgown he 'borrowed.' Though he protested he didn't take it, Ike found it in his dresser. Busted.

"Oh hello Meta Knight and Jigglypuff," Zelda said, still trying not to laugh.

"Is something wrong?" Meta Knight asked.

"No, nothing," she said trying to keep a straight face.

As if to defy Zelda's words, Marth came back to the table still in the dress. Meta Knight's eyes widened and his expression was unreadable. Jigglypuff's whole jaw dropped fifteen inches.

"Oh my...is that MARTH?" Jigglypuff said, trying to contain her giggles. "Why is he wearing a dress?"

"To answer your questions, yes it is me, regrettably," Marth replied, unhappily. "I am wearing a dress only because Ike forced me to. I did not come to this party, wear this gown and tarnish my reputation by my own free will."

"Sure," Ike said, sarcastically. He grinned at Meta Knight. "Hey, nice cute hat!"

Meta Knight looked unfazed. "Nice coffee stained shirt," he retaliated.

Ike lost his grin and folded his arms. "Not my fault." Neither Link, Marth, Zelda, Meta Knight or Jigglypuff looked convinced. He sighed. "Why do I even bother?"

They all laughed a little while Ike left for his sleeping bag to be alone. This went on for a good half an hour before...

"Who's-a ready for some scary stories?" Mario suddenly shouted over all the party noise. Everyone hurried in a circle and one by one, the lights were turned off until the only light source was the dim lighting of the wall torches. The last ones to join everybody were Jigglypuff and Meta Knight.

"Does everyone take telling scary stories this seriously?" Meta Knight asked Jigglypuff who nodded.

"Definitely. This has always been one of the highlights of a sleepover party as long as I can remember," Jigglypuff replied, smiling slightly.

"Do you know of any scary stories?"

"Um, no, not really. How about you?" Jigglypuff asked him, curiosity brightening her eyes.

Meta Knight smiled a little, out of both content and sadness. "Not many Jigglypuff, but I know a few." His tone seemed a little depressed, but before she could ask him what was wrong, a voice interrupted.

"All right, who's going to tell a story first?" Ike asked.

"I-a have a scary story," Luigi said, taking a seat in the story telling chair. As soon as everyone became silent, he began his story.

"Imagine you won a mansion in a contest you never entered. Your suspicious brother goes to investigate while you stay home to wait for his word. He _doesn't return_. So you decide to see this mansion for yourself and find your brother. You open the creaky gate with nothing but a flashlight. You enter the mansion which is unlocked. None of the lights are on and you can barely see your rather long nose. You go up the stairs to the top floor to the only door that isn't locked. You open it and enter the room as with the other rooms, there are no lights on. There are portraits lining the walls. You take a moment for your eyes to adjust. Then you see it: an orange glow and another and another. They suddenly grow is size and reveal themselves to be ghosts. You are _paralyzed_ in fear, _not_ able to escape the room. An old man appears out of no where and tries to vacuum them up with a large vacuum. He is unsuccessful at capturing the ghosts. They escape from him and disappear. You finally get a grip on your senses and walk to-"

Suddenly Luigi was pushed off the story telling chair and in his place was Yoshi. Everyone looked at him confused, and Luigi, annoyance and irritation.

Yoshi took a seat on the story telling chair in front of the crowd and began telling his story. "Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, _Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi_, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, _Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi_, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, _Yoshi_!"

In the background, a monotone voice could be heard. "Systems crashing in 3...2...1..." R.O.B looked like he was shaking in fear before falling into pieces on the ground. Everyone stood there bewildered for a moment before Fox and Falco stood up.

"We'll take care of him," they quickly offered. Everyone nodded while they got to work.

"So, who's-a next?" Mario asked.

"I-I am," Lucas said meekly, standing up to take a seat on the story tellers chair. "One day, I was walking to school with my friend, Ness. The teacher was making us do hard math problems that we could not understand. Then our Language Arts teacher told us a scary story. Just before everybody fainted from fear, the bell had rang and we all went to the locker room. I heard faint footsteps creeping from behind me. I felt a tingle in my back so I was about to turn around when someone pulled up my underwear and gave me a wedgie!"

Little did Lucas know, someone really was creeping up on him at the moment. Lucas suddenly found himself suspended a few feet in the air hanging by his underpants. The figure pulled them over the poor boy's head causing him to scream. Everyone turned to see...

The Crazy Hand with a party hat on his smallest finger.

Wario clapped. "Yeah, do that again!" Many gave him stern looks while some gave thumbs up to Wario's demand.

"Aw, why did you do that Crazy Hand. I was about to do that!" Ness complained.

"Is it time for scary stories already?" the Crazy Hand said, joining everyone in the circle, completely disregarding Ness' question. "Who's next?"

"Come on Meta Knight!" Dedede said. "I'm sure ya know some scary stories. Why don't you tell us one?"

Meta Knight thought for a moment, his eyes flashing green. Then he met the king's gaze and nodded. "All right then." As he made his way to the chair, Lucas whimpered finally able to pull his underwear off of his head. The thought of another scary story frightened him. Meta Knight had second thoughts about this for a moment, but pushed that aside. "Long ago, there was a war between the forces of good and evil in lands long forgotten. The forces of evil had created legions of monsters and sent them throughout the galaxies. The monsters that rebelled against their creator were known as Star Warriors. One Star Warrior was in the midst of a battle one night after being awoken by an unexpected attack during the middle of the night with his best friend fighting bravely at his side. They both fought hard, but in the end the Star Warrior's best friend was taken into the clutches of his creator. For days that Star Warrior was depressed and kept hoping his friend was still alive. He was overjoyed when he did return, but his eyes were glowing red as a sign that he was being controlled against his own will. Both were locked deeply in combat for what felt like years. Eventually, the Star Warrior's sword pierced through his friend ending his life. Though he felt extremely sad afterwards knowing it was for the best, he promised that his creator should suffer the same fate he bestowed upon his lost friend." Suddenly, Meta Knight couldn't speak anymore because his throat tightened. Even his eyes stung a little, but he refused to let them become tears. He silently got off the chair and returned to Jigglypuff's side.

Jigglypuff took him by surprise. "That was a true story wasn't it, about one of your experiences in the war?"

Meta Knight nodded. "...Yes."

Jigglypuff looked down. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you went through that."

"Don't be," he replied, stroking her cheek with his hand. "You don't need to apologize for that. Though those memories still hurt, I feel better that I talked about it." He smiled at her disguising the sorrow that was there not too long ago. However, when Meta Knight turned away, Jigglypuff could have sworn she saw a tear roll down his cheek, but she wasn't sure.

"Do I get to tell my wolf story?" Link asked.

Captain Falcon gave a thumbs down. "Boooo!" Many joined him in his protest. Link sighed.

"Is that story _that_ played out?"

"YES!"

"Do you-a think we will all be-a in the next tournament together?" Luigi suddenly asked.

"I never really thought of that before. Why do you ask?" Link said, a bit surprised.

"In-a three months or so, the first part of the tournament will be over and we-a will also visit our homelands for the summer," Luigi replied. "Will we-a ever see each other again once the tournament is-a completely over?"

"I don't know," said Ike, answering for Link. "It's hard to determine what the Master Hand will do this time. He may invite new people to join, but I hope none of us get rejected, not even you Jigglypuff."

Jigglypuff was surprised. "Really?"

"I noticed that many have been rude to you and they should be ashamed," Ike said seriously. "We are all one family and we should learn to appreciate each other." Dedede looked away from Jigglypuff sheepishly.

"Thank you Ike. We are one family," Jigglypuff agreed. She smiled when she felt Meta Knight hold her hand. Her heart skipped a beat when she leaned against her, eyes closed halfway from content. She held his hand too gently. Forgetting that everyone else was in the room, she gave him a small peck on the cheek.

"Awwwwww," many Smashers said in unison. Jigglypuff turned scarlet and looked down. She blushed when she felt Meta Knight's soft lips stroke against hers.

"I hope we can all be in the next tournament," was all the Smashers could think about for a while. The night exhausted everyone and by one in the morning, the candle burnt out and all were sleeping snug in their sleeping bags now truly appreciating each others company and realized for the first time, how much they meant.


	11. Episode Nine

**Author's Notes: Oh my gosh! The last episode has finally been done and updated. I would like to thank all my readers for supporting my story and huge cookies to anyone who reviewed. You are all awesome. I still can't believe the story is over, but keep an eye out for a blooper/deleted scenes chapter I will put up in about two or three weeks. I will now be working on my Meta KnightxOC novel. For those who are curious, there's information in my profile about that. **

Episode Nine:

Parting Ways for the Summer

--

Normally the Smashers would be into their chaotic and noisy routine like they do every morning...the routine when many would fight to maintain their sanity and to survive the day in one piece. They adjusted to such a lifestyle and as that was coming to an end, it made everyone realize how that became a part of them in the past year or so.

Three months had passed since the sleepover party and now Summer was beginning. Summer brought many joys and sorrows for the Smashers which was why they were all unusually silent. The Master Hand would let the Smashers return to their homelands for two months and then return by the end of August.

Today was June 18th, the day of departure.

Jigglypuff sighed, eyes stinging with tears she tried to hold back. This season brought back many bad memories of her past, the same ones she reflected upon on the beach a few months ago where she told Meta Knight more about what she had experienced. Her eyes squeezed shut trying to not to let the tears surface. Jigglypuff sighed in defeat as her emotions won her over. Her hands quickly wiped any tears sliding down her cheeks. However, when her hand went to her cheek, she felt a familiar, warm gloved hand there instead drying her face.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Meta Knight's face only an inch away from hers. "Why are you crying?" he asked her softly, his breath soothing against her face.

"Oh, sorry Meta Knight! I didn't see you there," Jigglypuff replied, still startled by his unexpected appearance. That never changed with him. She relaxed, leaning against him. He smiled and took her into his arms, surprising Jigglypuff in the process. Meta Knight never held her like that before but it comforted her.

A small smile could faintly be seen on his face, also because he decided to keep his mask off, even out of the bedroom, that is, until the departure. "That's all right Jigglypuff. I'm the one who should be apologizing for startling you like that." She smiled at him as if to say it was okay. "Is something bothering you Jigglypuff? You were crying earlier."

"Today is departure day," Jigglypuff replied, snuggling against her 'boyfriend' for comfort. Tears formed in her eyes again. "The Smashers will be leaving the Smash Mansion."

"Jigglypuff, they will only be gone for a couple months, no more than that," Meta Knight replied, hopefully assuring her. "The Tournament is not over yet. That is still a long time away. You should not be worrying about that now."

Jigglypuff smiled. "Yes, that's right. Sorry about getting upset about that. I guess the Smashers company has grown on me despite how badly they treated me in the past." Even the meaning of her own words had a shocking effect on her. Jigglypuff truly realized that no matter what they did to her, she still considered them a family. All this time before she came into Brawl, she thought she was completely alone and no one cared for her. The previous year gave her the opposite; care from the other Smashers and someone she cared for and loved deeply. An overwhelming sense of chagrin struck her when she felt the tears surface and roll down her cheeks. _"So much for trying to be strong,"_ she thought, hating her feelings for betraying her.

Jigglypuff buried her face onto Meta Knight's shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me." Her tears slowly came to a stop when he rocked her gently in his arms. She always felt better when they shared a special moment together. Little did she know as she was slowly closing her eyes, Meta Knight was trying not let tears form in his. He wouldn't admit it out loud that the day of departure saddened him too. Months ago, sadness would never have been an emotion he would have dealt with. The kindness of the others and love changed him so much than he could describe. Meta Knight was going to miss the other Smashers like Jigglypuff would, only he refused to let it show.

Meta Knight smiled as Jigglypuff slowly drifted off into a peaceful sleep. She would need the rest seeing as the Smashers departure for the summer will keep her up during the night, causing her to become restless. He was already aware that he wouldn't sleep either. Sleep didn't come to him often and when it did, it was no more than a few hours. There was, of course, the occasional day when he would sleep in until noon but that when he really was exhausted.

Instead of placing the now-sleeping Jigglypuff on her bed, Meta Knight kept her secure in his arms. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and he was certain she smiled afterwards in her sleep. His heart felt fluttery again as he gazed at her beauty.

He really hoped the departure wouldn't be as sad as he anticipated...for both his sake and Jigglypuff's.

--

"_Farewell, my friends and...family. I never imagined how painful it would be to part ways, even for the summer. How strange it is to miss someone and to feel like you belong in a family. Ever since the other Star Warriors died in the war so many years ago, I felt as though I could never be valued in that same way again. The other Smashers resurrected that part of me; the part I never realized was a very important part of life. _

_Jigglypuff, during the last months of the Tournament, taught me a very important lesson: it is all right for me to allow my feelings to show. She was right all along. I learned from crying for the first time that keeping feelings suppressed inside hurts. The relief when I finally expressed my emotions was worth the tears, though I would never have admitted that out loud back then._

_It is only the first night at the Smash Mansion without the other Smashers and I'm trying not to cry into my pillow. It was hardest saying good bye to Kirby, the one that felt like a son to me; one I would never have. The only good thing was King Dedede apologized to Jigglypuff and myself. He told me if I could go back to Dreamland and visit if I wished to. Even as I lay wide awake in bed, I am still pondering that. Going to Dreamland to visit made me skeptical. No one in Popstar had ever seen a Pokemon before and I worried that it may be too stressful for Jigglypuff. Maybe I'll try to go to sleep, though I probably will not."_

Meta Knight tossed and turned in bed, burying his face in the pillow. Though he had taken off all his armour, he couldn't get into a comfortable position. Not only that, his eyes were burning with tears he refused to shed or at least tried not to.

Jigglypuff had been trying to sleep, but she apparently experienced a nightmare. She spent the last two hours crying, but she thought Meta Knight was sleeping and tried to stay quiet. However, her eyes widened a little when she heard faintly audible sobs. She silently got out of bed and made her way to Meta Knight's. He turned to her, cheeks still wet with tears. "You couldn't sleep either?"

He wiped the tears hastily away from his face. "No, I could not."

Jigglypuff sat on the bed beside him. "You miss the other Smashers like I do, right?"

"Yes," he replied, voice trembling. "I apologize for my behaviour Jigglypuff. I normally don't feel so emotional."

She hugged him, rubbing his back in the process. "It's all right, don't worry about it." His heart rate increased when her lips connected with his, inviting him to another romantic moment. He returned the gesture, pulling her into a hug. The moment became one of pure passion as the kiss became deeper, taking the breath out of the two. One of Meta Knight's hands stroked her cheek softly. As they separated, she could feel his breath gently blow across her face. To Jigglypuff's surprise, she found herself more relaxed and tired. She leaned against him, drifting off into a sleep for real this time.

"I love you Jigglypuff. Sleep well," Meta Knight said softly, as a smile found its way onto his girlfriend's face.

--

It was very quiet when Meta Knight and Jigglypuff woke up that morning. She blushed realizing that she slept against him the whole night. Her heart skipped a beat when he took her in his arms the whole way to the cafeteria. As they were eating breakfast, they saw a sight that they never expected to see.

The Melee rejects were sitting on the couch playing the Nintendo Wii. The rejects looked equally as surprised to see the two puffballs.

"You must be Meta Knight and Jigglypuff," said Young Link. "The Master Hand told us you would still be staying here."

"Hey Jiggs, long time no see," Roy said, smiling cheerfully.

"Oh, hi Roy! Has the Master Hand brought you back in the tournament?" Jigglypuff asked.

"No. He let us visit the Smash Mansion while the Smashers are back home," Roy said, tone a mixture of disappointment and gratitude. "I still wonder why we weren't accepted in Brawl. I mean, what could we have done?"

"There-a was that-a incident between you and Marth-a remember?" Dr. Mario said, still holding onto a medicine capsule.

Roy glowered. "You're one to talk. Your medicine almost killed me when I had been injured. The Master Hand must have simply been aware that your medicine could endanger the others in a match so you were rejected. That must be the reason why you didn't make it."

Dr. Mario stood up straight at that. "Excuse-a me?"

"Um, guys?" Jigglypuff said, trying to break the fight that was about to ensue. "The Master Hand let you come here so you shouldn't really cause any trouble. I don't want you to be away from the Smash Mansion more than you have to be."

Roy sat down. "Fine, but he's going to get it later, I _promise_." Mewtwo rolled his eyes in annoyance. Those two could get on his nerves quite a bit. Suddenly Roy felt pain in his shin and he hopped up and down on his other foot. "Ouch! All right, who did that?" Pichu kept playing a game without listening, Mewtwo didn't pay attention, Dr. Mario had fallen asleep and Young Link was whistling innocently.

Roy sighed. "I hate kids."

--

"I'm glad the Master Hand let us do that Meta Knight," Jigglypuff said, taking a sandwich in hand. She and her boyfriend were currently having a picnic by the beach in Dreamland. "I didn't think I'd be able to come here." She sighed contentedly. "This place is really beautiful. I wish I was brought up here instead of being with a bad trainer."

"You could stay here if you wanted to when we are not in the Smash Mansion. I'm certain King Dedede would feel too guilty to not let you live here after how mean he has been," Meta Knight replied, allowing his hand to hold Jigglypuff's free one in a warm and gentle grip.

"Really? I could?"

"Yes, most definitely. This place would be so much better with you here," Meta Knight said, eyes shining blue. "I love you Jigglypuff."

"I love you too Meta Knight," Jigglypuff said, snuggling against him. "I'm so happy I got to be in Super Smash Brothers Brawl. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. How much we have changed over the last year huh?"

"We have changed in ways in which words cannot describe." As the sun dipped over the horizon, they shared another kiss.

Meanwhile, watching the two was Kirby, smiling. "I am proud to have Meda Nigh as my daddy, poyo." Not only had life changed for Meta Knight and Jigglypuff in Brawl, but it allowed Kirby to see who his father figure really was under the façade, the disguise that hid his emotions. He felt like he truly understood who Meta Knight was. Even with the surroundings darkening, Kirby could still be seen smiling. One thought kept pondering his mind...

"What's for supper?"

**On with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related. **

**Enjoy the final episode of Season 1;) **

**-Mind Seeker-**


	12. Messed Up Creativity

**Author's Notes: Thank you to everyone for reviewing and reading my story and inspiring me to have this continued to become what it is now. Enjoy the bloopers. Also, thank you UltimateLink95 (my brother) for contributing the last three bloopers to this story. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Super Smash Brothers for its characters. I only own the story's plot.**

**--**

"Everyone can head down to the main room after breakfast. We have special guests visiting today," the Master Hand announced. "Please show them respect while they are here."

The Smashers saw a camera crew in the main room setting up their equipment. The transporter glowed as two people were sent to the Smash Mansion from the Planet Earth as their homeland was referred as.

"Today we have Mind Seeker, the author of the story, 'What Super Smash Brothers Means to Us the Series,' visiting today accompanied by her younger brother, UltimateLink95. They will be filming the movie for the story and each Smasher will act as themselves as according to the scripts that will be handed out," the Master Hand said. Many jaws dropped as they saw the thick scripts.

"Does the Master Hand expect us to act out this?" Ike said under his breath.

A book went flying and hit Ike square on the head. "Yes, Ike, everyone will be expected to play the roles of themselves and to act the scenes out. Now will everyone turn to the first page to the table of contents?" Mind Seeker said. Everyone nodded and obeyed. "Good! And as you can see, there are eleven chapters to the story. Flip to page 2, Episode One, Part 1. The characters acting out can proceed to the stage and try acting their parts."

_All right, as you readers can tell, I'm in the Smash Universe directing the movie for my story. Fun times to be had, but every movie has their errors. Aside from people changing the scripts and causing havoc, the movie did get complete...after a few months...and I never got the copy to take home with me. However, I was given the messed up scenes so I will share some with you. Try not to laugh too hard at some. Also, my brother contributed some so if they are weird, it's not my fault. He caused havoc in the making of my movie. Oh well, funny though. Also, in this update, sometimes Kirby has the ability to speak. Don't ask, I don't know how that got in this production._

-Cameras, lights...and ACTION!!!

The Crazy Hand came in before Jigglypuff could respond. She was very pleased with him though and her face was red. Luckily the Crazy Hand's announcement caused her to forget about it.

Kirby was utterly disappointed about his presents. He hated the car he stole from Ness, Lucas and Toon Link the previous night. Kirby was impatient to give it away before he was caught with it. Since the afternoon wasn't busy, Kirby went outside to try it out before disposing of it. Jigglypuff and Meta Knight came along too, after swearing not to tell anybody about Kirby's crime. The pink puffball gladly appreciated the secrecy.

However, trying out the car wasn't as hard as Kirby first thought; especially if someone learning was lazy and couldn't ever understand. The _easy_ part was getting Kirby to shoot the seat with a fire cracker. Jigglypuff showed him how to grasp the handles in front of him once he was properly seated. With Kirby grinning like a maniac as more schemes crossed his mind, it took twenty minutes for him to eat the remains. That was only the _first_ step…

The second step involved using his feet to break the steering wheel. Kirby didn't have a nose, therefore he couldn't reach. This called for violent measures.

/One Hour of Concocting Evil Plans Later\

"That should do it," Meta Knight said, out of breath from all the work while Kirby had a nice afternoon nap. "Kirby should be able to reach the wheel now."

Kirby was actually doing very badly, considering he had a time to learn how to work the car himself. "Meda Nigh! Poyo!"

Meta Knight walked over to the bike. "All right, I'll destroy this for you since this is too much trouble I suppose." He took Kirby's place in the driver's seat or what was left of it and turned on the engine. Kirby watched in awe, also because his mother figure was approaching a downwards hill, engine exploding. His velocity kept increasing as he rolled down the steep hill and began heading in a straight line towards the crazy place of Dedede's bathroom.

Jigglypuff sighed impatiently. "Nice going Meta Knight. Now you're gonna die!"

"What???!!!" came Dedede's voice behind them. "This can't be! Who else will secretly buy me more Barbie dolls, I mean, food!"

Jigglypuff glared at Dedede. She sat down and took a book and began reading.

"Scratch that," she said. "I guarantee more than one will."

The first Super Smash Brothers Brawl Holiday Season finally arrived at the Smash Mansion causing everyone to be in depressed spirits. Easter would be here in three weeks and everyone was dreading the 25th of December. The Crazy Hand came up with an idea to get everybody in the mood for the holiday gloom.

For that reason, the Smashers were all restrained in the main room listening to another horror story. "Today, in honour of the holiday season, a deadly contest will be held for all of you. You can divide into squadrons and work in the Army if you wish. If you require any weapons, uniforms or bombs that are not currently in your station, you may ask. Brewster, Resetti, FLUDD, and little men from outer space will judge what you conquer or destroy. Good luck to all of you."

"We all have to participate?" Ike asked, interested in fighting someone.

"Participation is mandatory, however, working in a squadron is not optional," the Master Hand replied. Many noticed his contradiction, but the hand remained oblivious. "Well, enjoy yourselves."

"I'll do just that," Ike muttered, now trying to come with a plan to fight someone. Luckily for him, an idea was soon to cross his mind. The people he decided to have in his squadron, Marth and Link, disagreed to the plan, hoping it would foil. Ike sat in a corner in self pity for the morning.

--

Ike groaned banging his head on a table resulting in a loud 'crunch.' With a moan of pain, he clutched his head which he swore he cracked.

"That was the best thing to do Ike," Marth said, who was seated beside Zelda. "Seriously, a sleepover party is going to kill you."

"Ice skating didn't!" Ike protested, not bothering to look up from the table. "When I fell, it _felt good_. I could sit without pain for nearly _two weeks._ No, this time I am serious about participating."

"Let's put it this way Ike. You are a good ice skater. Sleeping over in the main room spending time with everyone else is going to hurt you. Besides, you mainly get to fight," Marth began.

"And you get to play with dolls," Link interjected taking a seat at their table. He narrowed his eyes. "I've definitely got a scary one to show all of you this year. You all better be ready."

"You better not bring _that_ doll! I've seen it too many times and believe me, it's enough to scar you for life," Toon Link warned.

Link groaned and slumped in his seat. "Toon Link, do you have to embarrass me like that? Honestly...I really wanted to keep that a secret."

"What secret?" they heard Ness say from behind them.

"Link was going to bring a Barbie doll!" Toon Link replied, before his older self could stop him.

A frightened look spread across Lucas' face when he heard that. He ran out of the cafeteria before anyone could say "Boo." As Meta Knight and Jigglypuff went through the doorway, Lucas ran them over. A groan of pain came from Meta Knight as the boy continued his stampede.

"What was that all about?" Jigglypuff asked, helping up her boyfriend.

"Link was planning on bringing barbies this year." Marth replied. "Of course, Toon Link spilled the secret and when Lucas found out what it was about, he was scared."

"Why is everyone so scared of my barbies?" Link blurted out, demanding an answer. "It isn't that bad, is it?"

"Why does Link want to bring barbies all the sudden?" Meta Knight asked.

"The Master Hand came up with this oh-so-wonderful idea of genius by having a sleepover party in the main room for everyone to resent being in Super Smash Brothers Brawl for an entire year tonight," Ike summarized in one sentence without pausing.

"A sleepover party?"

"No, that's wrong. I wasn't going to tell you earlier, but with all this chaos...Sorry about that," Jigglypuff said.

"That's not all right. I'm disappointed," Meta Knight replied.

"Which reminds me..." An 'oh crap' look spread across Ike's face. "I don't have any pajamas to wear tonight! The only ones I can wear were the same one I accidentally spilt acid on in the Army and it never came out!"

Zelda yawned in her chair. "I'm sure it's worse than you think Ike."

"The shirt is _pink_ Zelda and I drink coffee _green_. I'm fairly certain it isn't noticeable," Ike replied, smirking.

"I'm sure you won't be fine," Marth 'assured' the swordsman. "Who else chose the pajamas they're wearing tonight?"

"Well, I did," Link replied. "I was planning on bringing my barbies in secret even if someone spoiled it." He glared at Toon Link. "So I decided to wear a barbie costume."

"A barbie costume?" Ike said, laughing a little, now forgetting about his pyjama predicament. "Hahaha, that oughta scare the crap out of L- Ouch, what was that for?" Zelda gave Ike a funny look as a signal to continue.

Jigglypuff decided to get back on topic. "I already chose my pyjamas! I managed a replica of Mario's moustache in my dresser this morning so I suppose that will do."

"I'm sure that will do Jigglypuff." Zelda said, smiling mischieveiously.

"Oh, I'll find some odd pyjamas to wear for tonight. I'll look around before dinner," Marth said.

"Well, as long as it's not another bathing suit, I'll live," Ike remarked. "Seriously, did you give Zelda's bikini back? You know the one you borrowed?"

"Borrowed? I knew one of my bikinis had mysteriously vanished, but Marth...Ike, are you serious or are you joking?" Zelda asked, worry etched onto her face like embroidery on a pillow.

Ike looked at her seriously, trying to keep a straight face. "That's right, the pink one with daisies on it. Marth still hasn't given it back yet, just so you know."

Zelda looked at Marth with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Do you have any pyjamas for the sleepover Meta Knight?" Ike asked, thankfully shifting the spotlight off of Marth.

"...Yes."

"He has some most definitely," Jigglypuff added. "He never sleeps with his armour on and it only has been a few days since he started to wear a dress to bed."

"J-Jigglypuff," Meta Knight said stuttering, now starting to blush beet red.

"What's so bad about a dress anyway Meta Knight?" Ike asked, putting his feet behind his head. "It couldn't be worse than Zelda's bikini-" He was cut off because Zelda elbowed him as a signal to put his feet down. As his feet returned to the ground, it knocked his cup of coffee onto his clothes. He swore under his breath, thankfully the words he uttered could be made out. And guess what?

The kiddies were scarred for life.

Marth chuckled and Link fell out of his seat laughing. Even Meta Knight laughed, but when a few looked his way, he disguised it as a scream of pain.

Ike stood up, annoyed. "(beep)..."

"Hey Ike, that's some colourful language! What if the Master Hand heard you say that?" Bowser said, laughing with the other villains. Ike continued to curse as he left the room.

"Nevermind him, he's having one of his good mornings." Marth said to them quickly before turning back to Link, Zelda, Jigglypuff and Meta Knight.

"Meda Nigh, poyo!" came a familiar voice from behind.

"Kirby, what is it?" Meta Knight asked gently.

"Pwesent, poyo!" Kirby said, having difficulty trying to speak the word 'present.' In his feet, he held a gift. He stuffed it into Meta Knight's mask, smiling.

"Thank you so much Kirby," said Meta Knight sarcastically pulling the present out. He carefully opened the package in order to reveal...

A cute and lacy ribbon. Meta Knight did not what he was supposed to do with the gift, that is, until Kirby spoke up.

"Ribbon, poyo, sleepover."

The realization dawned upon Meta Knight and his face turned slightly red. Kirby expected him to wear that to the party? He really didn't want to upset Kirby so he managed a smile. "Thank you for the gift. It was thoughtful of you Kirby."

Now it was Link's turn to hold back laughter. Just as soon as a couple of snorts escaped him, he received a kick in the shins from Zelda. Like Ike, his coffee fell all over his lap and he uttered a curse word that no one thought he knew loudly on purpose. His face went beet red when many looked at him with amused expressions. He stormed out of the room afterwards, dripping spilt coffee on the way there.

"And then there were a dozen," Marth said chuckling. He gasped when he felt a kick on his shins. Like the other two, his coffee spilt all over himself, and like Link and Ike, he swore.

"Correction; a hundred," Zelda said, smiling.

--

"All right, who's going to tell a story first?" Ike asked.

"I-a have a scary story," Luigi said, taking a seat in the story telling chair. As soon as everyone became silent, he began his story.

"Imagine you won an apartment in a contest you entered. Your obnoxious brother goes to invade while you stay home locked in your room. He _doesn't return_. So you decide to see this apartment for yourself and find your brother. You open the creaky door with nothing but a stick. You break into the apartment which is locked. All of the lights are on and you can see your rather long nose. You climb up the furnace to the top floor to the only door that isn't locked. You break it down and enter the room as with the other rooms, there are lights on. There are children's drawings smearing the windows. You take a moment for your eyes to adjust. Then you see it: a pretty princess and another and another. They suddenly grow in size and reveal themselves to be old men. You are _paralyzed_ in fear, _not_ able to escape the room. A bear appears out of no where and tries to eat them with a fork. He is unsuccessful at capturing the men. They escape from it and disappear. You finally get a grip on the bear and get ea-"

Suddenly Luigi was kicked off the story telling chair and in his place was Yoshi. Everyone looked at him excited, and Luigi, annoyance and irritation.

Yoshi took a seat on the story telling chair in front of the crowd and began telling his story. "Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, _Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi_, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, _Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi_, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, _Yoshi_!"

In the background, a monotone voice could be heard. "Systems resetting in 10…9…7…3…5…88…2…1…" R.O.B looked like he was laughing before launching off the ground. Everyone cheered, amazed for a moment before Fox and Falco woke up.

"We'll take care of him," they quickly offered. Everyone nodded while they got to work...after some snacks of course.

--

"What is the purpose of being here?" Meta Knight said to Jigglypuff, eyes glowing green.

Jigglypuff was annoyed at that question. "What do you mean by that?"

"You are a new Smasher, are you not? I also heard you weren't in the last tournament, Melee, I believe so. From your experiences in Super Smash Brothers Brawl, what does being here mean to you?" Meta Knight told Jigglypuff, eyes still pink.

Jigglypuff didn't have to give that a second thought. The question was obvious; something she thought about before. She did have an answer though. Looking up from the ground, she made eye contact with Meta Knight. "Well, the Super Smash Brothers tournaments brought food from similar worlds together and created a boring atmosphere. The tournaments are all about fighting. Facing an opponent on the battlefield can teach you different pain, hatred and help strengthen your desire for revenge. To me, the Smashers helped me improve my way of thinking and to fight with others more frequently. I always find meeting someone new an exciting experience for battles. Companionship is important to me because I know without it, anger can result. Very often, the Master Hand will create a wide range of special brawls. The best part is being involved, enjoying every moment and cherishing the memories. To me, Super Smash Brothers means more to me that can be told in words. Coming to the Smash Brothers Tournaments was the start of my fighting life…So that pretty much sums it up…"

Meta Knight looked at her, eyes closed and trying to stay awake. He had to admit, all of what she said was a lie, even the part about companionship. He was social himself and didn't feel angry sometimes. Though he fought the other Smashers without hesitation, they felt like an enemy to him; an enemy he would defeat with skill. This feeling did shock Meta Knight. He wasn't known to be cold and uncaring to others. However, Jigglypuff knew how he could be the opposite. Meta Knight would admit he had a demon side and was evil deep down. The only Smasher he did prefer to fight was Jigglypuff, and sometimes they spent an hour sparring before bed. She was someone he trusted and could be somewhat open with. Even with that bond between them, Meta Knight would not take off his mask or utter a word of his past or his feelings unless it was about the stadium. Once in a while, his eyes would change to red, but other than that, there would be slight behaviour differences such as tensing up or lashing out at everyone, including Jigglypuff. These problems made happiness difficult for Meta Knight to feel in Super Smashers Brawl.

--

Fiery, scarlet and gold colours formed the beautiful sunset transforming sky which filled the land with multicolour glowing beauty in the shape of a banana. Under the breathtaking flames, two round and dark silhouettes could be seen up close.

One, upon closer inspection, was an armoured, blue puffball known as Meta Knight, the Star Warrior. At the present moment, he was training Kirby to improve his sword skills. As the swords clashed against one another, both fought back with determination and heart. However, as the minutes passed by, Meta Knight was tiring and exhaustion was eventually settling in no matter how hard he tried to push it aside from his being.

The sword dropped from Meta Knight's arm as he collapsed to the ground out of exhaustion.

"Meta Knight?" When Meta Knight didn't give any kind of a response, Kirby went to his side to check if he was still breathing or had any injuries. Meta Knight appeared harmed, but Kirby was still suspicious. Meta Knight was like a mother to him; one that he would fight no matter what.

Kirby carried Meta Knight back to the Smash Mansion. Perhaps the Crazy Hand would know what to do.

The Crazy Hand was happy to see Kirby in his fridge. Without delay, he rushed over to find out was wrong. "Did something happen Kirby?"

"Crazy Hand, I fear something is wrong with Meta Knight. While he was training me earlier, he fainted after having a hysterical fit of laughter and would not respond to anything except cartoons and lots of spaghetti. Though he seemed harmed, I was still concerned. I take no responsibility and blame the Master Hand. This was his entire fault."

The Crazy Hand had just finished giving Meta Knight CPR and first aid. "Please be hard on the Master Hand Kirby. None of this was your fault. It seems Meta Knight is only fatigue. He'll never recover after a night of sleep because of that television my brother installed!"

"May I bring Meta Knight to my room then so I can watch over him?" Kirby asked.

"Of course. Let me know when he is feeling better again," the Crazy Hand replied. "Both of you are dismissed from your Brawls tomorrow. And if you see my brother, give him my _regards_." A loud crack could be heard being pounded in the wall.

Kirby nodded in acknowledgement, now holding Meta Knight again. "Sure Crazy Hand. No problem."

Little did they know, two Smashers saw this whole conspiracy to overthrow the Master Hand. On one side was Ike, who was being a snoop and on the other side was Jigglypuff. She only listened in because she was curious.

"Who knew Kirby was a traitor?" Ike whispered, laughing to himself. "I've got to tell the Master Hand! Oh, he will enjoy this all right."

_Basically, after this, my brother took over and forced me to add his bloopers to this update. They do contain some weird humour but that's UltimateLink95's style as you will see, is quite different from mine. I still hope you like it though. Let me know if UltimateLink95 did a great job!_

_**_

Jigglypuff was now sad for Meta Knight instead. She now truly realized that he detested being called cold and uncaring just as she disliked being called weak. That was something else they shared in common. She knew that Meta Knight was not cold and uncaring. She saw him eat Kirby earlier that day. Also, if he was so cold and uncaring, he wouldn't have tried to eat her, or tasted her at all for that matter. A voice brought her back from her thoughts.

"Kirby, you go on ahead. You will be for supper in a while." That voice was unmistakeably Meta Knight's.

"Poyo?" Kirby said, tugging on his cape.

"I will be hungry, all right? Worry about me."

Reluctantly, Kirby continued to head towards the Smash Mansion. He took one last look at his behind before entering. As Kirby was prepared for dinner, Meta Knight **belched** and headed in an upward direction. Jigglypuff, now intrigued, followed quietly behind careful to make many sounds.

Meta Knight took his first step on the pizza. He slowly fell forward, with Jigglypuff at his behind, against his own will. The pizza was extra tasty today as he unfortunately realized at that moment. He felt like squeezing his butt shut, but managed to keep it open. He had to think with a calm mind right now. There was no time for breathing. Jigglypuff guided him along as they crashed in a semi-circle, hands holding each other's in tasteful desire. He enjoyed the feeling of eating after a while, but it also scared him a little too. Meta Knight thought he was going to do well a few times, but Jigglypuff messed him up before that happened.

"Come on Ike! You can't do this," Zelda booed the swordsman. "You've tasted worse than pizza. You can't do it."

"Yes, that's right. Ike, this is like the cooking competition. It's awful," Marth sneezed on him. Ike unfolded his crossed arms, now angry.

"Fine, but if something goes wrong, I'm blaming myself." Ike took a step forward on the pizza and allowed himself to pass gas gracefully. He soon felt so embarrassed of himself, his self confidence went down the toilet. "Hey everybody, look at me!" Ike tried showing off his 'terrible' moves. As he was about to finish a crazy eight, he fell upwards and landed on the pizza very hard. As he made impact, a large crack formed on his head. "...I like pie..."

--

The party had been as boring as anticipated. Lead balloons were hung up nearly nowhere in the bathrooms, and poison-ivy streamers lay on the floor as everyone gathered around a large circular table to eat the main dish. Meta Knight considered going, but when he spotted the overly friendly and rather half-crazed looks a few were giving him, he changed his mind. He decided to stay in the main hallway by himself so as not to join Kirby in the main course.

Kirby noticed the absence of his mother figure's presence and immediately checked his behind to find him. By now, sensing where Meta Knight was became a sixth sense. "Daddy, poyo!"

Upon hearing the pink creampuff, Meta Knight looked up from the rather awful behind. "Kirby, is that you?"

"Poyo!" Kirby exclaimed, spitting on him. "Poyo, deathday!"

Meta Knight patted Kirby on the behind. "Happy deathday Kirby. I apologize for having a gift. I never knew the Smashers gave you a birthday until Jigglypuff told me when I arrived at the Smash Mansion."

Kirby smiled and nuzzled against his mentor's behind. "Poyo, dumby!"

"Thank you for understanding Kirby. You should head back to the cafeteria. Everyone will wonder where the main course went."

"Poyo, Daddy comes too, poyo!"

"I do not think that is a good idea. I don't want to be eaten by the others right now," Meta Knight replied.

"Poyo…" Kirby sounded hungry.

Meta Knight hated to see Kirby hungry. It was his deathday after all… "All right Kirby, I'll go."

--

The crowd gasped as Kirby walked lazily through the building like a bomb through a brick wall. K.K Slider messed up the first notes of the song and smiled at the ugly puffball, obviously hungry. Kirby smiled and waved as he passed through the angry crowd and blew up another wall as he left. Following that was Meta Knight flying in pursuit. But his wings hit the wall and he fell to the floor, sobbing.

"Um…acid anyone?" Brewster asked, trying to lighten the mood.

As Kirby was walking into another crowded intersection, there was a faint sound of several people screaming in the coffee shop and a very terrified yawn. Kirby slowly walked through another red light and was heading in a straight line towards an oncoming nuclear missile.

"Kirby, shoot it!" Meta Knight belched at him. He was trying to fly as slowly as he could to the creampuff, but when he was beginning to approach him, he collided into an explosive sign and groaned in pain as he blew up.

Kirby rode through the doors into the Museum of Terrible, Explosive and Nuclear Stuff. Every single rare bomb in history, ancient missiles and deathrays were turned on. The owner of the museum was promptly horrified and actually fainted.

At long last, Meta Knight finally reached lunch. With joy and happiness, Kirby jumped off his bike and bit Meta Knight tightly causing him to gasp for breath. "Daddy, poyo!"

As the bike continued into the intersection, the honking of nuclear missile horns could be heard and crashes evident.

Exhaustion overwhelmed Meta Knight and he quickly fell into pie.

_All right, so my career as a movie director did not go as well as I thought at first, especially with UltimateLink95 around. Oh well, perhaps the right path for me is writing. I'll hire a director next time I have to make a movie. Also, if you are visiting the chaotic Smash Mansion, it is very much different from Earth. For now, I'll keep progressing on other stories. If you want a movie to be filmed in another universe, find someone else to do it for you. Well, that's all. _


	13. Season 2: Episode Ten

Author's Note: The series is being continued thanks to the support and favourites. This is a new season so the next updates do not relate to the first 12 chapters of Season 1. This will have more humour, about six chapters and another blooper chapter. I hope this will continue to be supported.

Disclaimer: I do not own Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.

**Sept. 4 2012- Thank you very much "amy!" (Guest reviewer) I can't reply to your reviews because they're anonymous ones but I want to let you know I read them all and I'm so glad you enjoy this story! ^^**

* * *

Season Two:

Episode Ten- New Arrivals

The Master Hand and the Crazy Hand both eagerly awaited the opening day for Super Smash Brothers Brawl, the Third Tournament. The fans hovered the area, excited to see the new Smashers attending the tournament with the other twenty from the previous two.

The parking lot filled quickly with vehicles I had never seen before, especially the one that belonged to Olimar. I called it a carrot ship, unsure of what its name was, but for some reason, Olimar wasn't pleased. Beside me was Kirby, who thanks to R.O.B, could speak with an interpretation device. I had been rather relieved, not being able to understand what he said for the previous two tournaments. Sure, I'm used to the opening day routine by now; introduction, newcomers, rules, more rules, and knowing the new Smashers better, you know, getting them involved.

I'm Jigglypuff. I'm a veteran Smasher who has always been a part of the tournaments as long as I can remember. Like me, Kirby is a veteran too so we both know what's going on fairly well. Poor newcomers. The Master Hand made so many changes and they will have to adjust even more than they have to. If they heard about the previous tournaments, like Wario for example, they'd be expecting something different; an event from the past.

Kirby told me someone from his world had been asked to join the tournament and I kept pestering who. He didn't relent, but I would need persuasion.

"Come on, you can tell me! Why the suspense?"

"All right, since you want to know so much...Last month, back in Dreamland, Meta Knight received the invitation to be an official Smasher in the tournaments. He didn't want to accept, but I, well, forced him to. Though I know him well, he can be intimidating, being alone all the time. He hardly ever shows emotion. It's kind of creepy."

"Sounds like the mysterious type," I replied, giggling.

"He is, at least, I think so. Even though he can be scary, I still accept my daddy for who he is," Kirby told me, smiling. I stared at him blankly, face frozen, not knowing how to feel.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold the phone! Meta Knight is your father? Is that what you're trying to tell me?" Shock and disbelief met my tone. How could a father and son participate in the same tournament? What if they had to fight each other? If Meta Knight is intimidating, he must have a lot of strength to take out anyone in this tournament. I hoped and dreaded that wish. If he could defeat Bowser, that'd be something amazing. Me however, will fall in shame.

"Daddy is coming, yes," Kirby said, oblivious to my astounded expression. "Aren't you excited?"

"Uh, yeah...By the way, where did you learn some of those words? Who taught them to you?" I said, switching the subject to something else less unnerving than his father arriving.

"Daddy of course! Other Smashers helped me just as much. All I have to do is listen to them speak and hopefully, I learn new words."

I laughed. "Whatever you do, don't swear. I know from experience Captain Falcon's usage of profanities are high. He speaks nasty sometimes, so don't let me find out you've been swearing."

"Which one is Meta Knight's ship?" I asked, curious.

"He isn't here yet. But trust me, he has the largest ship in history: the Halberd. A good likeness though, resembles him very well." Kirby answered.

"I thought it was that one," I admitted sheepishly, pointing to Olimar's carrotship, as I decided to call it. Kirby laughed at my guess.

"If he were here, he'd be shocked you said that."

"Maybe...Don't tell him please. If you do, I'll deactivate the translator."

"Like that'll help. Meta Knight is the only one who can understand my poyoes anyway. He'd still know what I'm saying. At least he doesn't have to interpret everything I say."

"Because he's a father right?"

"Yes, that's right. Oh, oh, oh, look! There he is now!" I fixed my gaze upwards and gasped. That ship was HUGE. I felt intimidated already. The bow looked a lot like a mask. How weird is that? It landed carefully, and the door opened.

I didn't know what to expect. Kirby ran up the door to carry Meta Knight's belongings. My eyes gazed at him for the first time. I was amazed.

He was a puffball, like Kirby with the exception of wearing armour and a long cape he wrapped around himself. He looked about smaller than me, but not to the point where it would be noticeable. His face was concealed by a mask, like the one of the bow of his ship.

"I'll let the Master Hand know you're here! Jigglypuff, show him to the meeting room. I need to bring his possessions inside." With Kirby gone, I was left alone with the mysterious, silent puffball. With hesitance, I walked by his side. He glanced up at me, those pupiless yellow eyes scaring me.

"Um..." There had to be something I could say. "I'm Jigglypuff, one of the veteran Smashers here. You must be Meta Knight. Kirby told me about you."

"He did?" I never expected him to respond...but his voice...was so mesmerizing. His entrancing grace with every step fascinated me. Meta Knight continued to speak again. "Did Kirby tell everyone I would be arriving?"

"Uh, yeah, being his father and all, of course he's excited. And you won't believe this! R.O.B made this device so everyone can understand what Kirby's saying now. He told everyone being excited and all."

"I hoped he would not."

"What's wrong? Everyone is looking forward to you coming to the tournament."

"I would rather be a part of the background than the main center of attention." His responses were to the point and I envied that sometimes. The Smashers told me before I rambled too much.

"You don't like being around others. Kirby told me that, but I forgot until now. I understand." I stated a fact, not a question. I patiently waited for his response.

"I am...relieved you understand. No one ever understood me before." I could have sworn he smiled behind the mask. "Shall we then?" Like a gentlemen, he held the door open for me. I blushed, flattered. His melodic chuckle stayed in my mind as we proceeded to the meeting room.

"Do you want to be alone then? If you don't want me around in there, let me know." I didn't want to give off the vibe of always-being-in-your-face-to-mysterious-people-you-just-met.

"You may do as you wish. If you want to stay with me, you can. I do not mind. Your company...actually..." Meta Knight stopped in mid-sentence.

"Thank you." I said to him, sparing him of the awkward moment. For someone so antisocial, he seems to take a liking to me. I could say the same about myself. We stayed in the back so we wouldn't draw attention while the Master Hand ploughed on with the rules and so on. For a veteran, it's boring. With Meta Knight beside me, it wasn't as dreary as usual.

Roommates were the fun part of the meeting. Mario and Bowser were together and I know that will be chaos. My jaw dropped from shock when I was paired up with Meta Knight. How things worked out, I don't know. As he went to unpack, I was confronted by Kirby.

"What took you longer to get to the meeting room? Was Meta Knight talking to you?" Kirby seemed surprised.

"Yeah, a little...He seemed to think I'm tolerable. Almost no one here would agree from prior experience."

"You're not annoying Jigglypuff. Meta Knight took a liking to you, didn't he? He never did that before." Kirby told me, hoping to raise my spirits.

"Well, that is a little assuring. He did agree to have dinner with me tonight. Your father is not as intimidating as I thought he would be."

"Normally, he is." Kirby didn't press the subject further, confused as much as I was. _I_ couldn't be the reason he was a little more social than usual. That's impossible. I can't be that much of an influence.

The day passed without anything too chaotic occurring. Bedtime was a different story seeing as the whole place was noisy no matter where you went. My thoughts always went to Meta Knight and how I may have influenced him. I still refused to believe this. The tournament began more peculiar than I ever experienced, but hopefully, everything will turn out all right once everyone is adjusted.

My life at the Third Tournament would be one that would affect me the most. I do not why I felt so strongly about that, I just did.

"Hey Jigglypuff, are you all right?"

Jigglypuff opened her eyes, remembering she had been eating dinner with the girls. How she fell asleep, the logic escaped her. "So, how long had I been out for?"

"About twenty minutes, no more than that," Peach replied, suspicious of her strange tone.

"I didn't mean to sleep. I swear, I won't let that happen again."

"Don't worry about that. No one's angry at you." Zelda assured her.

Jigglypuff finished her supper so fast, the spaghetti burned her mouth but she didn't care. Four months into the tournament and she still felt different, somehow changed.

"_I still can't be thinking about the first day...That can't be the reason."_

She gasped, sliding down the hallway. Jigglypuff forgot the janitors had been cleaning the hallway and the water caused her to lose balance. As quick as lightning, Meta Knight secured her in his arms before she fell. "Thank you. I should have been paying attention."

"Your welcome. I almost fell not too long ago. You are not the only one. Mario happened to start a fight with Bowser...and...I'm sure you heard the crash."

"Yeah, I wondered what happened. I hope Mario recovers soon. Bowser, not so much. At least no one will have to brawl with him for a while." Jigglypuff replied.

Meta Knight chuckled. "How true." He opened the bedroom door for her like he always did. Jigglypuff convinced herself the actions were out of chivalry, but he told her he always did that by his own will. "You've much yet to learn."

Jigglypuff nodded. "How true." She purposely quoted him to see his reaction. He laughed, knowing. Jigglypuff got under her covers and smiled.

_I've much yet to learn._


	14. Episode Eleven

**Author's Notes: Another chapter done! ^-^ Again, thank you to everyone who supported this series so far. I appreciate your feedback. There's much more updates to come so I hope you enjoy them. Dedicated to all my readers!**

**Disclaimer: You all know what it is by now. I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Episode 11

Ocean Encounter:

Normally she would be as pessimistic as this but today, everything seemed to be strange, mostly her personality. Zelda told her she was acting strangely but Jigglypuff denied it every time. In truth, she knew Zelda was correct. The blue skies, white sands, warm waves splashing against the shore. The beach used to be Jigglypuff's favourite place to go during the Summer. Just a week ago, she looked forward to the beach trip the Master Hand arranged. Now she stood upon the beach, arms folded with a scowl on her face.

"This isn't like you." Peach said, agreeing with Zelda. "You're becoming more like... Meta Knight!" Jigglypuff glanced over to see him leaning against the cliff reading a book.

Peach's last statement did not sit well with Jigglypuff. Why did that disturb her so much? "I am not like Meta Knight at all!" she objected. "I don't sit down reading books all day or win every brawl in this tournament!"

Something caught Jigglypuff's attention. Meta Knight was glancing at her, looking up from his book, body tilted as if confused. She shivered and turned away, not sure what to think.

"I think he heard you say that." Zelda said, pointing in his direction. Jigglypuff turned to look at him again but he disappeared. She stared blankly in the same spot, Peach and Zelda began to worry.

"Um, how about an ice cream?" Peach asked, evading the topic of Meta Knight.

"Great idea. You like ice cream, don't you?" Zelda added, hoping this would work.

"Bubblegum flavoured right? That's your favourite."

Jigglypuff stared long and hard at the ground. Bubblegum was her favourite flavour but it was so blue...it reminded her of the very Smasher she tried not to think about. "Bubblegum..." Her stomach did a flip literally and she turned away. She left unable to hold in her feelings any longer and releasing them in the open was not something she intended to do.

Peach stood there for a moment, confused. "What did I say?"

Jigglypuff hastily kept walking along the shore. She desperately needed time alone; just like someone else she knew. A sigh escaped past her lips. Why did she seem more like Meta Knight lately? Normally she would surf with her friends but the idea of it didn't sit well with her. Taking a glance at the horizon, she regretted it. Ike and Marth were surfing, a shark chasing after them. Link followed behind, the Master Sword brandished.

She passed by the cliff wishing to see no more. Those three could get into trouble sometimes. Jigglypuff saw something sparkle in the sand, demanding her attention. She used her hands to dig out the shiny pink shell with her name carved into it. After dusting the sand off it, she listened carefully. Jigglypuff could hear the sound of ocean waves clearly and in the background, a low hum. She carried it closer to her when proceeding up the beach cliff.

After getting considerably higher from the ground, the footing became rougher and harder to endure. Jigglypuff realized with regret that heights frightened her. The pink shell was held tightly in her shaky grasp. No choice but to continue upwards; if she made it this far, she could finish and make it to the top. She took another step forward causing a few rocks to crumble beneath her. Almost losing balance, she held onto the cliff edge tightly.

She screamed, seeing the ocean below her. Her grip loosened and slowly she fell amongst the winds on the way down. _"All because I wanted to be alone...Now I'm going to die."_

"Jigglypuff!" a voice called; one that she distinctly recognized. Everything happened so fast, she didn't know precisely what was going on. She opened her eyes to see Meta Knight holding her in his arms, dangling in mid air by his cape. His cape got caught on the cliff, gradually creating a small tear, but his grip still felt protective.

"M-Meta Knight! Thank you so much. If you hadn't come up here, I would have been dead."

Under the mask, Meta Knight's expression switched to grim. "That is what I feared the most. Why did you come up here all alone? Who knows what may have happened if I had not been where I was at the time."

"I-I'm sorry. Today hasn't been a good one anyway. I needed to be alone."

"I thought you would have been with your friends. You enjoyed coming to the beach, at least, until now," Meta Knight replied.

"H-How did you know that? Can you read minds or something?" She gasped when a heard the sound of material tearing. She forgot they were still in the air hovering by only Meta Knight's cape. Even he seemed frantic upon the realization. "I'm truly sorry. Because of me, we both may die."

"Enough of blaming yourself. We will be fine. Hold on tight and do not let go at all costs." He tilted his body so he was underneath Jigglypuff. His body could handle the impact from such a height but she was delicate. The need to protect her strengthened and now was a time when he was not afraid to show it.

The waves splashed as they landed in the ocean and because of their low density/weight, they floated. Still holding Jigglypuff, Meta Knight used his other arm to swim to the shore. She softly landed on the shore when he released her. For a long moment, he coughed up the seawater he swallowed on the way down. Jigglypuff placed a hand on his shoulder and rubbed circles into his back. Meta Knight's breathing slowed down to a normal pace.

"Thank y-you...I'm fine now." Meta Knight leaned against the cliff, shivering. He hated being wet; especially when the sand clung onto his cape and his eyes stung from the saltwater. Even his throat burned from it, but knowing Jigglypuff didn't have to endure that, he smiled. She sat down next to him.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Jigglypuff asked him, concerned.

"Hmmm, a little sore to be honest, nothing unmanageable. As long as you are safe, I'm all right." He looked away at his confession.

"So, you care for me?"

"Yes, very much so." Meta Knight's hand lingered on hers for a second. "You're hurt..."

Jigglypuff looked at her hand, now noticing a large cut marked against it. She shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. "You mean this? It'll recover."

"Regardless of that, you are still hurt. I should have come sooner; maybe if I did, this never would have happened." Meta Knight's fists tightened after returning to his sides. "I do not like seeing you hurt. I feel horrible inside."

"_I_ feel horrible whenever you blame yourself. Please...don't do that. I'm not injured. In a day or two, I'll be fine again." Jigglypuff heard screams in the distance. "If there's anyone you should worry about, it's Ike. He's sharksurfing."

"What...is sharksurfing?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. As usual, Ike was being reckless. But he should be all right. Marth or Link bails him out if it gets too out of hand." Meta Knight chuckled thinking about it.

"Nothing unusual I suppose." Meta Knight stood up, squeezing the seawater from his cape. He looked back behind him as if to ask Jigglypuff to accompany him.

"You do not mind my company? I thought you always preferred being alone," Jigglypuff told him as they walked along the shore.

"I never trusted anyone else before, until I met you. Being alone has been an instinct because I always felt anyone I did meet would betray me. It has happened before; the experience is painful." He glanced at the sea as Marth and Link shouted at Ike in the distance. "Something about you attracted me. Your...presence is reassuring."

"I feel that way too. Everyone's been saying I've become more like you lately. Why they would say that, I have no idea." Jigglypuff replied. She still didn't forget how she had been put down for that too; maybe that was why she didn't want to be at the beach.

"Is that so? In some ways, that statement holds truth." Jigglypuff looked down.

"I've been bullied because of that before. Is it really a good thing?"

Meta Knight looked into her eyes. "Do not be ashamed. If I was more like you, I would be happier. I'm not ashamed to admit that." Before Jigglypuff responded, Ike screamed again in the distance. This time, the voices could be made out.

"Ike, hold on! We're coming to rescue you." Marth shouted. He and Link were holding onto the shark's fins attempting to get Ike off.

"I can't! Make it stop! I swear, this thing swims too fast," Ike replied over his shoulder. Link nodded seriously, then started punching the shark's side hoping it will stop.

Marth gasped holding on tighter. "Link, that's not working. I think the shark's angry!"

"Oh no," Link muttered under his breath.

Meta Knight sighed. He grabbed a rock from the shore and threw it as far as he could. From such a distance, it hit the shark causing it to changes courses for the shore. Angered, Ike, Marth, and Link were practically tossed off its back and landed headfirst into the sand. A wave of water followed the shark's rampage soaking Meta Knight again. Taken by surprise, he fell backwards into the sand as well. Jigglypuff held out her hand to help him stand.

"Are you all right?" She asked him.

"I am fine, just a little...dirty." He groaned after seeing he was wet and covered in sand all over. When Jigglypuff tried to dust the sand off him, he didn't object.

Ike stood up, dazed and confused. "Did the shark eat us yet?" Link and Marth groaned, them taking the impact the hardest.

For the rest of the afternoon, Jigglypuff stayed with Meta Knight much to his surprise. He managed to keep his book in his cape the whole time and he allowed her to read the book with him. It turned out she liked the novel.

"Is that the Twilight series? I didn't know you liked those books. I heard they are very romantic."

At that, Meta Knight tensed up. "No, not really." He wasn't about to admit he liked romance novels, even to Jigglypuff. Reading the first couple chapters was enough for the afternoon. When it was time to go back to the Smash Mansion, she didn't glance back at Meta Knight. He had been kind to her when no one understood what she was going through.

"Where were you all day?" Ness asked Jigglypuff.

"Nothing unusual. Just some time alone."

"That's no true! I saw you with Meta Knight earlier. Loners like loners I guess." Toon Link remarked. "You are becoming more like him aren't you? Normally you would be outgoing on a trip like this but noooo. I saw you reading instead! With _him_!"

"Don't be so hard on her Toon Link," Lucas said meekly. "There are always more beach trips right?"

"I suppose. Next time, you're coming with us. Let Meta Knight be. You have friends remember? Not a loner." Jigglypuff's expression indicated Toon Link crossed the line. Lucas whimpered and hid behind Ness. "The next beach trip is in two days. I'll expect you to be there. If not, I'll assume you're with the loner."

Jigglypuff nodded, fighting tears the whole way back. She never came down to supper, too depressed to eat anything. Why was being with Meta Knight such a bad thing? He never hurt her and provided company whenever she needed it. He even saved her life putting his one at risk instead. She wiped the tears from her face when she saw the same pink seashell on her end table. Gasping, she picked it up. In all the days events, she forgot all about it. Her name still written in elegant handwriting amazed her.

Deciding she needed some sleep, she lay down in bed, smiling rather than crying. From the window, Meta Knight gazed at her, a rare smile on his face. He cared for her and making sure she was happy was on his priorities; even more than his health and well being. Knowing she deeply fell asleep, he pulled the covers over her shivering form.

"Sleep well Jigglypuff. You mean so much to me now." Tired himself, he leaned against her falling into an unconscious state as well.

--

**Next Chapter: Failed Production: The Halberd Party**

**~MS~ Hope you all enjoyed my update! The next will be funny and longer so stay tuned.**


	15. Episode Twelve

**Author's Notes: Well, I managed another update after working so much on my novel. Me and UltimateLink95 worked on some of this together so he gets some of the credit as well. It has humour; enjoy:)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers and so on.**

* * *

Episode 12

Failed Production: The Halberd Party

Sometimes others would never listen to you even through hours of persuasion and threatening. You would object to their intentions countless times to no avail. In the end, resisting had been futile so much that it became pointless. Meta Knight was experiencing one of those times. For no reason whatsoever, the Smashers insisted they have a party on the Halberd. No matter how much he said no, they managed to get their way.

The door was covered in balloons and party streamers, mainly pink, Peach being very enthusiastic about the idea. Pink did not suit the Halberd at all; already Meta Knight dreaded the upcoming party. He stood outside the Halberd, arms folded stubbornly in the parking lot. The music blared throughout the battleship's vast size, unfortunately it being something that would play in a romance movie.

"No, I am not attending." Meta Knight refused when he once again asked to come inside.

"Come on, don't be such a spoilsport! Everyone's waiting for you." Peach literally dragged him to the door, Meta Knight scowling the whole way. "You don't want to disappoint Jigglypuff, do you? She's been looking forward to you coming to the party!"

"...Jigglypuff? All right then." As Meta Knight entered the now noisy Halberd, Peach giggled.

The Halberd simply was transformed by the efforts of every other Smasher. How they decorated a huge battleship in so little time was beyond his logic. He entered the main room with a heavy sigh. The others turned to him, relieved that he showed up.

"I thought you were never going to show!" Ike said impatiently. "I've been waiting for hours. What activities did you decide?"

"In the library," Meta Knight replied, now feeling awkward at the protests.

"But books are boring! Could you ever come up with something more exciting?" Ike objected.

"Do what you will as long as there are no alcohol beverages." With that, Meta Knight turned and left the room.

"Ike what was that for? You probably offended him!" Jigglypuff shouted. Ike cringed under her menacing tone.

"That guy is a bookworm. Seriously, all he does around here is read whenever he's not beating the crap out of someone in a brawl." Ike continued, oblivious to the glares he received.

"There's nothing wrong with reading a lot. Maybe that's why he is very intelligent." Jigglypuff shot back, standing up for him. "You don't know him very well so you?"

"And why would I want to?" Ike said, putting up his feet on a table. "If I hung around Meta Knight as often as you do, I'll start becoming more like him. The horror."

"That's mean!" Peach argued, Zelda nodding. "He's never done anything to you; why would you be so cruel?"

"She's right." Jigglypuff agreed. "He never does anything to offend us in anyway and he keeps to himself. That is what makes him unique among us and I admire that. Sure he may be intimidating at first, but when you get to know him, his company is very enjoyable."

"What is he to you? Your boyfriend?" Ike remarked, shocking Jigglypuff. Her temper rose, face beet red from anger and embarrassment. "What's the matter? Why are you looking at me like that? I know you have a crush on him." Jigglypuff smacked him across the face without any second thoughts.

Ike, not expecting her to attack, fell backwards off his chair and landed on the punch container which cracked, soaking him waist up. The pitcher landed on Bowser's foot who hopped up and down in pain landing on Olimar. His Pikman tried to pull him out but Bowser's weight prevented them from succeeding. One purple Pikman came and gave a small tug. Olimar went flying into Luigi who was in the midst of telling a story to Mario. He screamed and pulled out his vacuum cleaner. In its strong suction, it pulled the Pikmen inside, resulting in their untimely demise. Everyone stared at Luigi who looked down, guilty.

"Sorry about that." He took a step backwards and landed on a grenade Snake left lying carelessly on the ground. It exploded and blew the box off of Snake, who was drinking a can of alcohol. Everyone stared at him except for Jigglypuff.

"He's got good stuff!" Ness cheered.

Snake grumbled. "What do you want?"

"The beer of course. You can't drink that all yourself!" Ness replied. Ike nodded, forgetting what Meta Knight said about alcohol beverages. Sighing, Snake tossed out thirty boxes.

"Fine, but don't blame me if you all get drunk." Snake resumed talking into his codec. "None of this is my fault."

Jigglypuff, revolted by the smell, left for the library to be with Meta Knight. His company was worth missing the Smashers getting drunk over hundreds of beer cans. She felt a flood of relief when she closed the library door behind her. Whatever the Smashers would be doing for the rest of the night she didn't want to know.

Immediately she spotted Meta Knight sitting at an armchair reading Twilight. He looked up surprised to see her. "Jigglypuff, I would have expected you to be at the party."

"Yeah, well, I changed my mind. I just wanted to be with you that's all. It's a little...crowded in there." Jigglypuff sat down beside him. "What are you reading?"

"I am still reading Twilight." He allowed Jigglypuff to read the book as well like they did at the ocean last week.

Meanwhile, outside the Halberd, there was a knock at the door. Arriving at the party was the pizzaman. "Hey guys!" He said. "I brought you your pizza and the beer you ordered. You can have it free, though, because I took me three days to get here!"

"We didn't place an order." Zelda said before Snake stood up.

"Next time I place an order, I would like it delivered faster. These guys have stolen the last cans of beer I had." Snake walked away with the pizza and beer in his arms, the Smashers chasing him hoping he'd share.

Everyone cheered and went to grab a slice of pizza and a can of good stuff. The Master Hand would have looked horrified if he had a face. "Who ordered beer?" He glared (you get the vibe of it) towards Snake who was drinking a beer while trying to avoid the hungry and thirsty Smashers. Only recently did the Master Hand show up at the party and he began to regret his decision.

The pizza man had on an evil grin on his face as he walked away. The Smashers would be knocked out soon from that "good stuff" and he could loot the joint!

Meanwhile, beer bottles were thrown across the room and the Smashers were stumbling around in the now intoxicated smelling crowded room. The Master Hand would have had a _Please get me out of here _look if he had a face. Then one of the back windows shattered. From inside the Smash Mansion, the pizzaman grinned to himself. Everything was going according to plan.

"Ah, hey guysh," Ness said in a voice even less understandable voice than normal. "The Pizzaman broke in through the back window! Let'sh go give him shome good shtuff."

"Ah righ'!" They all agreed and each took another beer bottle in hand. The pizzaman suddenly wondered why there was stampeding footsteps heading in _his_ direction. A scared look flashed across his face as the intoxicated crowd proceeded to step closer to him.

_"I am so dead,"_ he thought. He had to do something now before anything bad happened to him. Doing his best to sound like one of the Smashers, he said: "Hurry, he ran upshtairsh! You can shtill catch him!" He hoped he sounded convincing.

A sigh of relief escaped his being when the footsteps redirected to the stairs leading up. He managed to sound convincing enough...and it didn't take much to trick a bunch of dumb intoxicated no brain Smashers.

However, there were five who did not drink any of this good stuff passed around the Smash Mansion. They revealed themselves to be...

Meta Knight and Jigglypuff both looked up from the book hearing excessive noises passing by the door. It suddenly opened with a crash and a terrified Snake entered.

"I tried to warn them but they wouldn't stop!" He said in a panicked voice.

"Warned who about what?" It occurred to Jigglypuff that Meta Knight wasn't aware of the alcohol beverages and she became unusually silent.

Snake seemed to realize that too because he didn't respond. If he were to tell the truth, trouble would come his way guaranteed. "Nothing."

"Something strange is going on out there and I need to know right now!" Meta Knight said, nearly shouting. "Whatever the others are doing, they are destroying my ship! What is the meaning of this?"

"I brought alcohol aboard," Snake admitted. "Everyone wanted some and I was forced to give in. I warned them not to drink too much but they didn't listen. I don't know what to do. They've gone mad!"

Meta Knight glared at the broken door. "I. Told. You. Not. To. Bring. Alcohol. Beverages. ON MY SHIP!" He snapped, eyes red. "I told everyone that for a reason and because of that, my ship is done for."

Jigglypuff never saw him so angry before but for this to be happening to his ship, it was understandable. "Is there anyone else who didn't get drunk?"

"Only three others." On cue, they entered the room.

Olimar, who didn't drink any of it through his helmet.

Marth, who brought his one non-alcohol drink.

And apparently their make-shift leader, Luigi, who Mario (who was drunk) told not to drink any. He practically took the beer from his hands and drank it all down himself.

The pizzaman was carrying a couple of heavy bags over his shoulders of stolen, valuable goods from the Smash Mansion. He laughed quietly satisfied with his success so far. His boss was sure to be pleased with him. As his hand reached for the doorknob, he felt a shiver down his spine, the one you get when you feel like you're being followed. Yep, that one. The pizzaman was feeling it big time.

He turned around wildly and yelled, "Where are you? Show yourself!"

And show themselves they did. Luigi came jumping down from the ceiling, throwing a green fireball.

From the party room, the Master Hand could hear that a fight was ensuing from upstairs. "Now what?" he screamed, frustrated. When he arrived at the scene, he saw none other than...

"Lay off guys!" said Ike dressed as a pizzaman. "You're wrecking it!"

Everyone turned to see a hidden camera man shaking his head and mumbling something while erasing his video.

Meta Knight, Jigglypuff, Marth, Olimar and Luigi stood there frozen, now comprehending what was going on. About now, they felt sheepish at realizing this was only a movie all along.

"Oh," they said, lowering their weapons.

"Ike asked me to direct a movie here last week. He planned it all out: breaking into the ship, the stolen goods and the leaving. Of course, the major hindrance was the beer. Our production was ruined because of that. Well, that was a waste of my time," the cameraman said, slamming down the video. "I thought this time that we would be able to make a real movie."

"You could. If you let us know ahead of time, we'll be glad to help you out." Marth replied.

"Very well. Thank you." With a nod, the cameraman left.

The Master Hand however, looked traumatized at the messed up battleship. Beer bottles thrown across the room, pizza boxes scattered everywhere...and of course, thirty or so Smashers lying on the ground. And at the DJ booth was the Crazy Hand still playing crazy tunes. Beyond the horizon, the sun rose; the start of a new day. With one last glance at the sun, the Master Hand passed out on the ground too. Everything became silence, dawn breaking.


	16. Episode Thirteen, Part 1

**Author's Notes: Sorry this took so long. I'm dividing this into two parts because I had writer's block and I wanted to update something. Hope you like it. I can always fix this later if need be.**

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters. It gets repetitive after a while.**

******

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Episode Thirteen Part One – An Unusual Form of Amusement**

"Oh no. This cannot be happening," Meta Knight thought as the bus turned around the corner. The Master Hand saw an advertisement in a brochure of an amusement park and after reading it, a trip was arranged. As the bus crossed over a bridge, Meta Knight leaned against the seat, arms folded stubbornly. He'd rather read a book in his bedroom than to be forced to accompany everyone in this crazy idea.

However, everyone looked forward to the trip. The morning had been rather hectic and chaotic, not to mention the difficulties the girls took in packing except for Samus. Meta Knight wished he could forget but the memories always repeated themselves in his mind. He only took no more than five minutes to prepare and everyone taking the whole morning after some "compromising" was shameful, in his opinion.

Perhaps a quick nap was a good idea knowing what may happen in the afternoon. His eyes began to close when...

"Meta Knight! We're almost there!" Jigglypuff squealed, pointing out the window.

He sighed, irritated. "Regrettably."

She playfully shoved his arm. "Come on, you've been gloomy ever since we got on the bus. How about looking on the bright side?"

"What if there is no bright side?" His mood made her a little uncomfortable. She stayed silent for an awkward moment before speaking up again.

"Could you at least give this a chance before you decide there's no bright side? There will be rides like roller coasters, a Ferris wheel and maybe an arcade. Not to mention..."

"BOMBS!"

Jigglypuff looked behind her to see Mario and Bowser playing Rock, Paper, Bombs. She sighed. Meta Knight's expression was unreadable.

"I win!" Bowser said to Mario.

"Darn."

"They weren't talking about the amusement park," Jigglypuff quickly said, hoping Meta Knight wouldn't misapprehend. "It will be fun though. You should come along with us."

"Who else?" He asked in his deep and mysterious voice.

"Kirby, Ness, Lucas and Toon Link," she replied unsure as to why he was so intent on finding out.

"I see..." He stayed silent for so long, it unnerved Jigglypuff. "I will wait here. I am not going."

She opened her mouth to reply when voices echoed in her mind.

"_I saw you with Meta Knight earlier. Loners like loners I guess."_

"_I suppose. Next time, you're coming with us. Let Meta Knight be. You have friends remember? Not a loner."_

"I...understand. If you feel more comfortable here, I won't force you to come. I'll see you later then." Jigglypuff fought back the few tears that threatened to surface. She knew Toon Link would be angry if she spent time alone with Meta Knight again. The beach trip was a little more than a week ago, but not long enough for her to forget the memories of being bullied and what for? No matter how long she tried to reason, in the end, Jigglypuff gave up and left the subject be.

"Come on Jigglypuff. You're not spending all day with the loner today are you?" The harsh tone his voice saying Meta Knight's name sent involuntary shivers throughout her body.

"No, of course not," Jigglypuff called back, trying to sound cheerful.

"Thank goodness. You'd probably end up reading on the bus all day, the same book perhaps." Reluctantly, she followed the others wishing she could have spent the day with Meta Knight.

His mysterious aura, soft voice, irresistible gaze...his very presence attracted her and to be separated against her will tortured her emotionally. Yet a chilling thought warned her that she would never be alone throughout this whole trip. Perhaps someone was following her. Jigglypuff took a quick glance behind herself and saw no one. Maybe paranoia was getting the best of her.

"Come on Jigglypuff, we haven't got all day to stand around. Maybe you do anyway, but not us." Toon Link said bringing her back to reality. Sighing, she kept in pursuit. However when the quotes repeated themselves over and over, she couldn't take it anymore. Making sure he wasn't looking her way, she ran off as fast as her feet could manage.

Her eyes scanned the area looking for a hiding spot. The Ferris wheel caught her attention. As the last people in line went in, she blended in. She thankfully found a spot next to Zelda.

"I'm hiding from Toon Link! Don't let him know I'm here," Jigglypuff whispered to Zelda before she could ask what was going on. Marth nodded understandingly.

"We won't tell anyone." Zelda said, Marth agreeing.

"Thanks." Jigglypuff ducked down in the seat when the Ferris wheel started to spin slowly.

"Jigglypuff! Where are you? Don't tell me you're with the loner!" Toon Link called out, demanding an answer. However, Kirby was concerned. He didn't like the way she was treated and could understand why she ran away.

The ride stopped after only five minutes so she had to leave. Time to find a new hiding spot. She glanced behind her again to see Toon Link running in her direction. She gasped and continued to run. Exhaustion settled in quickly after remembering she couldn't run for a long period of time.

Suddenly she found herself in Meta Knight's warm and gentle grasp. His cape transformed into his wings and at full speed, he flew towards the roller coaster.

"Where are we going?" Jigglypuff asked him almost yelling the question from hysteria. "Where are you taking me?"

"Whatever happens, do not let go." He held her securely in his arms and increased his velocity towards the roller coaster. "A seat for two please," he quickly commanded. The assistant let them pass in first. Toon Link and the others stopped in their tracks instantly.

"Darn, that's the scariest roller coaster in the world. We can't follow them like this. We'll have to wait for them. There's no way I'm going on that ride."

"Yes you are!" Ness said dragging him to the ride. Toon Link protested but Kirby and Lucas aided Ness and all four of them were three cars behind Meta Knight and Jigglypuff.

The ride began before Toon Link put his seatbelt on and he emitted a small shriek. Kirby put a hand over his mouth to block out the sound so they wouldn't be found out.

"I never thought an amusement park would cause this much trouble," Meta Knight said to Jigglypuff, almost in a whisper. "I was worried...If I left you alone any longer, who knows what might have happened."

"Meta Knight, I'm fine. Toon Link was only following me, nothing serious."

"We're not the only ones visiting this park today, remember that. You do not know who may be after you; it could be a stranger for all we know. And you left your group and ran off. You put yourself in so much danger." She sighed hearing Meta Knight so distressed.

"I'm sorry. He was bullying me again so..."

"I should have known. I am sorry. For the rest of this trip, do not wander off on your own. If anything...bad happens to you, I could not live with myself."

A loud creak made him gasp.

"Meta Knight, we're still on the roller coaster." Jigglypuff reminded him.

"What?" He glanced around only to confirm she was correct. He muttered something under his breath she couldn't make out. "Not this roller coaster...You hold on tight and put your seatbelt on. We have no choice but to endure the ride."


	17. Episode Thirteen, Part 2

**Author's Notes: A quick update! Yay:D I hope you can enjoy this chapter. Sorry if it seemed rushed; I am starting to get over my writer's block. The next episode WILL be longer but it will be a while before it is updated. It's an important one so hopefully the wait will be worth it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

Chapter Seventeen:

Episode Thirteen Part 2

"You're joking." Jigglypuff said, hoping he wasn't being serious. "Can't we just leave?"

"It is already too late." Meta Knight motioned behind them. Jigglypuff turned to see the ride was indeed moving accelerating up to fifty miles an hour. She turned around quickly so she wouldn't get motion sickness. Jigglypuff held the handles tight after fastening her seatbelt a little tighter just in case.

Jigglypuff took a glance at Meta Knight. His seatbelt was on though as not secured as hers was and he seemed perfectly calm, a long lasting unfazed posture. How he managed to handle their situation, she didn't know. The ride's speed increased to sixty as the passengers were lead to a dark tunnel. She didn't like the look of this already. Her surroundings blurred and tightly she closed her eyes feeling slightly sick.

She heard a scream and laughter from behind them. Deciding to risk looking behind her, Jigglypuff turned to see who that was. Toon Link was seen holding tightly to the bars, eyes shut. Was he following her or something? Her grip tightened; something obviously bothered him about her being with Meta Knight and eventually, she would discover the truth one way or another.

"Jigglypuff, turn around!" came Meta Knight's voice vividly against the gusting winds. She felt his hands securely hold her tightly for a moment, in an overprotective manner. Her breathing came in quiet gasps being so close to him.

"A-All right..." She managed facing forward. Jigglypuff kept her gaze downwards realizing she felt sicker than she thought. The area darkened and the roller coaster passed through the dark passage. Hardly anyone could keep their eyes open at this point. Meta Knight's amber eyes gave off the only source of light in the black tunnel except he noticed that something wasn't right.

He squinted at the bar and saw the glow of his eyes was not amber but white...that meant...

Crap. His. Mask. Was. Gone. And they were emerging from the darkness. Meta Knight bit his lip. Everyone would see his face clearly and with that, teasing. There had to be something he could do...

Jigglypuff turned to look at him in the eyes. "That was scary...wasn't it?"

Meta Knight turned the opposite way, hiding his face from her view. "Hmmm, sort of."

"Sort of? Does that mean _you_ were afraid?" Her voice contained amusement and the realization of what he said dawned upon him. Crap again. "Of all the things to be scared of, a roller coaster frightens you? Are you serious?"

"I...uh...I was only watching out...for the um...eagle." Meta Knight said as a poor excuse to cover up from his previous response.

Jigglypuff tilted her head sideways. "What?"

"An eagle. There an...um...obstacle. Yes, they are an obstacle. I was only staying alert, that's all." He spoke with more confidence. "Do not let your guard down. They are not to be underestimated."

"They're only eagles. What harm could they do?"

Meta Knight nearly facepalmed. "Nevermind." This excuse wasn't going over well. Something shiny against the rays of the sun caught his attention. His mask hovered in the wind over the roller coaster in plain sight of all the passengers. He needed to distract Jigglypuff; the mask nearly flew in his reach.

"Jigglypuff, over there! An eagle!"

"What? Where?" As she turned around to see if it was there, Meta Knight reached with his hand to grab his mask. The wind blew it away as soon as it was an inch away from his grasp. He silently cursed but when she looked his way, he averted his gaze.

"I didn't see an eagle."

"Oh, well then...I suppose it must have disappeared. That's a disappointment." He angrily glared at the mask still vanishing from his sight.

"Aren't they supposed to be obstacles?"

Uh oh. Meta Knight was getting caught in his own lie. Time for evasive action. "Ah that's right, but it is amusing seeing others so frightened hmmm?"

"Meta Knight! That's mean!" Jigglypuff didn't sound mad or anything, rather her tone indicated she was teasing. Perfect. She seemed to believe him now.

The mask dropped from the breeze as the roller coaster dipped down a high slope. Meta Knight even had to look down to avoid motion sickness. In the corner of his eye, he saw his mask touch the glistening waters below and sink. He opened his mouth to curse again when the roller coaster happened to head underwater too. Meta Knight nearly swallowed a gallon of water and as he held his breath, he attempted to grab his mask.

To his horror, he spotted a fish eying the metal with interest. Before his hand could reach out again, it was devoured by the fish in a single gulp. Meta Knight glared hatefully when the fish began to cough and choke. Disgusted, it spit out the mask and it shot upward two hundred miles per hour. He banged his head/circular body against the bar from frustration.

Once surfacing from the water, Meta Knight gasped for breath. He coughed up a mouthful of water before noticing a photo booth up ahead; one that took a picture every time the roller coaster passed. A white flash blinded him for a second. He rubbed his eyes trying to adjust to the lighting.

His. Face. Was. Captured. On. A. Photo. The ride slowed down to a halt. By the end of it, nearly every passenger was sick including Toon Link.

"I should never have got on this ride...Never again do I want to experience...this again."

"Are you still going to follow Meta Knight and Jigglypuff?" Ness and Lucas asked him.

"Forget it...I changed my mind."

Meta Knight stood up ready to endure humiliation when the mask fell from the sky and slammed on his face upside down. Jigglypuff turned and confusedly gazed at his unusual appearance.

"Uh, your mask Meta Knight...what happened?"

"The ride...I suppose. It must have been much faster than I anticipated." Meta Knight was quick to take the photo before she could see it and refused to let anyone else see it. Grinning, he carefully fingered the magic marker in his hand. When no else was looking, he drew a mask on himself hiding his face.

Jigglypuff reached towards his mask and readjusted it. She carefully put it back in position, cautious not to remove it. The curiosity of the face beneath it was tempting but it was a sensitive subject to Meta Knight so she left it be. As she moved her hand away, she felt his soft skin. The texture amazed her...Never had anything she touched felt like his warm skin.

"Um, that was an amazing...experience," Jigglypuff said almost in a whisper, cheeks still flushed from touching Meta Knight's smooth skin. "So did you want to go on another ride?" She asked evasively before he could say anything more on the subject.

"As long as it's not another roller coaster, all right." In a chivalrous manner, he offered his hand to Jigglypuff and led her to the next ride. The touch sent pleasant shivers in her stomach. This was ridiculous...she didn't really _fancy_ him that much. So she happened to touch him by accident. She shouldn't be worrying about that; it was irrelevant not to mention unhealthy.

Yet no matter how hard she tried to distract her mind, all her thoughts pointed to one conclusion.

She developed a crush on Meta Knight.


	18. Episode Fourteen

**Author's Notes: Yes!!! A longer update! And I was motivated by a novel I'm reading for English. I hope you like it.**

**PS: Wow! Thank you to all my readers for your feedback. This is my best story yet. It's no where near finished so there's much more to come:D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**

**Episode Fourteen:**

**Face to Face with Therapy**

******************************************(^-^)******************************************

The room was so silent that the clock on the wall would be heard distinctly as each second passed. No one spoke; the unnerving silence progressed on for over an hour and still nothing had been accomplished. Everything in the room stay perfectly still in its place, no movements from either of the two figures. From the open window nearby, the softly falling raindrops even provided one of the only sounds.

The Master Hand quietly stayed in his position hovering behind his desk finally deciding to browse through his files. The desk drawer shut with a loud thud as a folder was pulled out from all the contents.

"Again, good evening Meta Knight," he spoke in an attempt to receive a response from the silent puffball.

Meta Knight glanced up at the hand, merely nodding to acknowledge he heard. Yet the slight movement in his posture didn't satisfy the Master Hand. He understood how distant Meta Knight could be and speaking as little as possible. The ongoing silences bothered him and he sensed something had been conflicting him heavily in the last week and every time the Master Hand politely asked for Meta Knight to explain what was wrong, the only response was silence. An hour passed and it irritated the hand to the point where he said they would stay in the office as long as needed for him to explain the situation.

"You understand why I sent you to my office Meta Knight? This is an important matter and you need to answer me honestly all right? We have been here for an hour and if we have to, we can stay here until bedtime," the Master Hand spoke.

"I do not have a problem with that. Three more hours is not a long time." Meta Knight refused to say more on the subject and reverted to his quiet self.

The Master Hand twitched slightly from his determination. "I understand something has been bothering you lately and that you don't want to talk about it. One of the Smashers was greatly concerned for your well being enough to report this to me so we could find a solution. It has become noticeable, your behaviour Meta Knight. We are discussing this now because I care and even the others. What's wrong?"

Meta Knight stared at the Master Hand in an intimidating glare. His posture stiffened and he shifted the chair slightly. "I already told you, nothing has been bothering me. Are you going to question me on this all night?"

"If I need to, yes. For this to be brought to my attention by someone else means your behaviour has changed. Let's see here..." He opened the folder he placed on his desk and skimmed through its contents. "Your brawling record has been good; in fact it is one of the top. Has this been causing you stress?"

"No." Didn't the Master Hand know when to give up? This conversation had been going no where.

The Master Hand closed the folder. "If it is not that, does this have to do with another Smasher perhaps?"

"No..."

"Be honest Meta Knight. Is someone bothering you?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I am certain."

"Is it perchance, emotional?"

Meta Knight shifted again. He had to admit, the Master Hand was clever in his ways, especially when it came to interrogating. He bit his lip. He needed to change the topic.

"Master Hand?"

"Yes?"

"What is bothering me...is the fact that you shut me up in this office for over an hour demanding a response I cannot provide. I already answered honestly so I have the right to leave. Our conversation is over. To be correct, it should have been over in the first minute I came here."

"You are not leaving, at least, not yet. After I mention emotional pain, why are so intent on leaving? You are hurting emotionally, are you?"

"N-No!" There was a stutter in Meta Knight's voice, confirming the Master Hand was correct.

"Meta Knight, you are suffering. Why must you do this to yourself?"

A sigh of defeat escaped Meta Knight. "It's...complicated. I'd rather not talk about it."

The Master Hand felt a bit of relief. "You should have told me earlier. I could have found help."

"No, no, that will not be necessary! I already admitted having no other choice. What else did you expect from me?" The Master Hand was taken aback by the snappy response.

"I expect you to seek assistance. Exactly what is bothering you, in terms of emotions?" the Master Hand spoke gently, not wishing to anger Meta Knight again. To his discomfort, the room was met with more silent harder to endure than before.

Meta Knight felt his wings twitch under his cape and quickly, he shifted in his chair. _"Oh no, this is not the time." _Yet even with the shifting, the room remained silent.

A loud thud from the desk brought Meta Knight back to reality. The Master Hand was writing a message, more like a form. What was he up to? The Master Hand gave Meta Knight a letter folded in an envelope.

"That should be all for tonight. You may leave now."

"Thank you," Meta Knight said gratefully, fingering the envelope on the way out. He carefully opened it and took a glance at the letter.

_Meta Knight,_

_You have been requested to _

"Hey what's that?" Ike asked from behind him, attempting to read it. Meta Knight turned away and hid the envelope in his cape.

"That is none of your business," Meta Knight snapped irritably. He sighed. Perhaps he was more stressed out than he realized. Distinctly he felt an uneven pattern of his heart beating and spent the next ten minutes alone trying to lessen up. He made a mental note to take a bath before he went to bed; maybe that would relax him slightly.

He quietly entered the lounge and sat down on a comfortable sofa. For some reason, he didn't want to be all alone, at least at the moment. Even watching the others from a distance satisfied him. Sometimes he wished he could interact with others but deep down he didn't want to take the risk. He was better off alone; that's all there was to it. Meta Knight took out the letter to read it, ensuring no one could read it over his shoulder.

_Meta Knight,_

_You've been requested to attend a relaxation session at the office this Saturday at eight o' clock in the evening. A therapist will provide this service free of charge and help you through your problems. Questions will be asked and you are expected to answer them honestly, there should not stress you out. No one else will be listening in seeing as my office is in a restricted area of the Smash Mansion. _

_Remember that this session is not to cause you more stress, but to relieve your tension. And yes, you will also be expected to engage in the activities the therapist has in mind. I apologize if they cause you any discomfort but in the end you will feel better. _

_Rest assured, no one will be eavesdropping. I do not want you to be stressed out over that when you show up at my office this Saturday. Do not let this worry you please. _

_Regards from,_

_Master Hand_

He quickly put it back in his cape. Meta Knight's hands shook. How many times did the Master Hand need to persist the subject? In fact, he already hated the sound of therapy. Only two days until then. Meta Knight sighed, aggravated.

"What's wrong Meta Knight?" Jigglypuff asked, suddenly appearing behind him. He gasped and fell backwards from the chair, only to be supported in her arms. His breath was taken away from the touch. Jigglypuff assisted him to stand again but he felt shaky inside. Those feelings came back, only stronger. It was maddening, stressful, unhealthy. All it ever did to him was cause problems for himself; even the Master Hand arranged an appointment with a therapist.

"I-I'm sorry," Meta Knight said, shamed. They received quite a few stares and he took a step back almost tripping in the process. Why did he feel shivery inside all the sudden?

"Whoa, are you sure you're okay? You seem stressed out," Jigglypuff said, cautiously gazing into his eyes. _"Gosh, even looking at him sends flutters in my stomach." _

"No, I am not stressed out," he denied for the hundredth time that day. Repeating the same response over and over again aggravated him and Meta Knight didn't like telling lies, especially to Jigglypuff. One look at her shimmering shiny eyes amazed him, left him breathless. He felt heat concentrate on his cheeks. _"Am I...blushing?" _He tightened his fists. There was no reason for this. He needed it to stop.

"You got all tense just now." Jigglypuff placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing tender circles carefully. She gasped. Meta Knight's shoulders were tensed up, posture uptight. His eyes widened at the gesture; this added to his complicated emotions. Every breath came in a silent gasp. His heart rate became abnormally high and he hoped Jigglypuff wouldn't feel it as she massaged him. There were a few snickers and whispers but Meta Knight was too preoccupied in his thoughts to notice. Normally he would resist being touched in any way. Now he let Jigglypuff massage him for as long as she wanted.

Oh no. The heat flooded his face again. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to relax but his conscious refused to let that happen.

Jigglypuff pulled away, realizing what she was doing. "U-Uh, I'm sorry Meta Knight...I just..." Her face went bright red and she quickly left the room to avoid the embarrassment of being teased by anyone else. Shortly after, Meta Knight used his dimensional cape to teleport out of the Smash Mansion and spend time outdoors under the moonlight.

**

Meta Knight knocked on the Master Hand's office door ready for the torture awaiting him. It opened and instead, a blonde woman greeted him, who Meta Knight assumed, was the therapist.

"Good evening Meta Knight. On time! The Master Hand told me about you. Thanks for coming. On to business, hmmm?" She opened the door all the way and reluctantly he followed her.

"_This will be nothing but stressful...Curse the Master Hand for getting me into this nonsense." _Meta Knight never said a word as she ploughed on about the activities. The same eerie silence filled the room but the therapist didn't seem to mind.

"Now before we begin the relaxation process, remove your armour. How else will you relax with that on?"

Meta Knight immediately sat up, rigid in his seat. "No...way...I am afraid I can't do that..."

"Do it now," the therapist spoke firmly showing no signs of relenting. "I will report this to the Master Hand if you do not cooperate."

Meta Knight nodded, embarrassed. "All right...but do not laugh." He removed the mask and took off his shoulder pads, his cape following. Once removing his gloves, he laid down on the mattress. The therapist smiled, beginning to rub his tense shoulders.

"Oh my gosh, you're stressed! You've been through a lot haven't a lot haven't you? The Master Hand said you were suffering emotionally."

Meta Knight nodded, leaning back into the pillow, closing his eyes and focused on relaxing his muscles. He carefully breathed in and out evenly to settle his heart rate.

"Is your heart rate usually that high?" the therapist asked him unexpectedly.

"Yes. It's...been stressful lately. It's...difficult." Meta Knight opened his eyes halfway when the therapist started to rubbing some kind of lotion on his shoulders, proceeding down to his arms also tensed up in the same strain. "Mmhm, that feels...good. I haven't felt so relaxed in years."

"You must really be going through a hard time. What has been bothering you though?"

"Nothing too stressful. It's manageable."

"It's not healthy. Why do you allow yourself to suffer so much? You have others here who care about you whether you know it or not. The Master Hand mentioned to me he suspected this may involve another Smasher. Is that true?"

"Yes…" Meta Knight admitted, cheeks flushing to a shade of red.

The therapist acknowledged his red face with another question. "Does this have to do with a girl?"

"Um…yes…" Meta Knight felt his face seemingly glow scarlet. He turned away so she wouldn't see him blushing any longer. "It's complicated; an unexpected attraction…."

"Love," the therapist replied with no hesitance. "You've fallen in love. That's wonderful. The Master Hand told me you were always alone. It's good to know you'll have someone there for you."

Meta Knight couldn't believe it. For years and years, he detested love. The movies disgusted him and the books, repulsing. Yet, his desire for the Twilight series was an exception. Maybe it was because of Jigglypuff he developed the interest. Now he was _feeling_ the very emotion he scorned upon and knowing the truth, he felt hopeless. His knowledge of dating, romance and even flirting was surprisingly low. Admitting that would embarrass him immensely. He had no idea how to ask out a girl! What would he do?

"It's not love," he whispered, voice weakened from shame. The therapist saw through his denial immediately.

"Love is an amazing experience Meta Knight. Why be ashamed of that? Are you afraid of everyone else teasing you about it?"

"No. I'm afraid to be this close to someone at all. It's dangerous…for me to feel any attraction for someone, especially her." He trailed off, sighing dejectedly. "She'd never accept me."

"Are you talking about Jigglypuff?" Meta Knight froze up at the question. She knew. She knew he had feelings for her.

Meta Knight looked down, abashed. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at the clock. 11:45PM. "Yes…I love her…" The words slipped before he could stop himself. He closed his eyes, expecting laughs.

He opened his eyes and saw her looking at him, smiling. "Aw, that's so sweet. She's very nice isn't she? I met her back in the first tournament of Super Smash Brothers. Jigglypuff wouldn't reject you. She's sweet on you Meta Knight."

"What?" He quickly looked her in the eyes. "What did you say?"

"N-Nothing. Anyway…that will be all for tonight. If you need to relax again, come here whenever you want. The Master Hand will send for me. I work here part time you know. Have a good sleep. I hope that helped. My advice would to show you like her like a gift or something, a date perhaps? It's your choice."

"Uh…thank you." He put back on his armour awkwardly and left the office. He never was so relieved to leave the room in his life. Meta Knight just couldn't do it. He didn't know the rules of dating. He couldn't even flirt if he tried.

He quietly opened the bedroom door and saw Jigglypuff sleeping peacefully on her bed. He smiled gazing longingly at her for a moment before averted his stare somewhere else like the stars. Sparkly like Jigglypuff's eyes. Meta Knight blushed and got into bed. Once he snuggled under the blankets, he drifted off to sleep.


	19. Episode Fifteen

**Author's Notes: Gosh, I got this finished in one day. I am really motivated with this story and thank you to everyone who reviewed, especially Starrgrl24, PeridotSwan, Hikaru2009, and Luna La Pond. And thanks to everyone else who took the time to read the story. The season's not over yet. And yes, there will be another blooper chapter once this is done; then Season 3! Enjoy the new update! **

**Disclaimer: *falls asleep before repeating the same thing again* **

Chapter Nineteen:

Episode Fifteen – An Attempt of Flirting

******************************************:D********************************************

The afternoon had been quiet, one of the rare serene moments in the tournament. Meta Knight sat in a relaxing position on his bed with a laptop computer connected to the internet. Jigglypuff got gone out with her friends to swim so that left the room all to himself until evening. From the therapy sessions, he learned comfortable posture and better ways of coping with his feelings.

The therapist advised for him to go to and look for helpful information there. He reluctantly agreed and that afternoon, he spent time researching. On the desk next to him, he placed his mask there, allowing the warm breeze to blow against his face from the window. He had it off more frequently and it did help him relax, but only when he was alone. The thought of everyone seeing his face scared him, especially Jigglypuff.

He had no idea how to ask her out, what to say or how to act. When it came to romance and dating, Meta Knight became unbelievably shy. The last time he tried talking to Jigglypuff, he was tongue-tied in the middle of the conversation. He closed his eyes, wishing away those memories.

Another webpage loaded on the screen and he scrolled down to view the content.

** Advice**

**Attempt to ask her out. You have nothing to lose but maybe a little pride. If she says yes, then make your best effort to form a good relationship with her. Be honest, affectionate, and respectful. You will stand out from the others if you succeed.**

**Don't get too involved in trying to find out if she likes you...she probably does a little bit.**

**Ask her to go to the movies or hang out. She will probably say yes because it isn't upsetting to do that while talking about liking/loving/fancying can be scary.**

**Once you go out with her then you can talk about feelings.**

**And don't use self esteem as an excuse. Most people lack self esteem and you just have to build it up until it reaches a strong and steady level.**

He sighed, backing out of the website to see another page.

**Take it slowly with her. Make sure you smile, look her in the eyes and say clearly "Hi" plus her name whenever you see her. Sometimes just a smile will do the trick rather than always saying her name. Once you get used to that, you can start some small talk with her like what music she likes, or what her family is like. Have some ideas yourself about those subjects. You may then feel comfortable enough to share with her some facts about yourself. **

**Only then can you consider asking her out. Get in the habit of smiling and saying hi to everyone. A few might ignore you but most will be happy to hear a friendly hello. They'll be happy you acknowledged them. **

Meta Knight searched for more information feeling ashamed the whole time; what was he doing researching love anyway? What did it have to do with him?

"_Jigglypuff..." _

He closed out of the webpage frustrated. There's no way he could do this; Meta Knight wasn't the type to date or fancy a girl so he should stay away from her and continue on with his life. He sighed. Meta Knight cared for Jigglypuff too much to be separated now.

The door opened slowly. Meta Knight gasped and instinctively reached for his mask and attached it back on his face. Jigglypuff entered after saying goodbye to her friends.

"Oh, hello Meta Knight. What have you been doing all afternoon?"

"Nothing much." He shut down the power to his laptop and turned the internet modem off. "How was your afternoon?"

"Great! It was fun, especially when Toon Link soaked Link when he passed by. Those two never got along well. Ironic, though, being so similar."

"I agree. That is true." Meta Knight felt butterflies in his stomach gazing at her beautiful eyes again.

"Attention all Smashers, you may proceed to the main hall. The bus is arriving for the movies will be here in five minutes. You may want to bring your money with you for refreshments," the Master Hand announced.

"A movie?" Meta Knight asked, confused.

"Yeah, he planned a trip for everyone tonight as a treat. You never knew?" Her shocked tone made him feel completely irritated with himself. How could he have missed hearing that?

Movies. Meta Knight recalled his research on dating. It was an opportunity to flirt with Jigglypuff and for the trip to be arranged spared him of the humiliating worry of asking her out. He inwardly thanked the Master Hand. From what he remembered from the webpage should be easy to do. The basic arm around her, hand over hers 'accidentally.'

All right, maybe this wouldn't be easy. His serious lack of knowledge and no prior experience haunted him; he never believed he would have to worry about any of this in his life.

"I...missed that announcement...sorry." He looked away, self conscious. Jigglypuff took hold of his hand, expression serious.

"It wasn't your fault. The Master Hand only told us a few hours earlier anyway. It's not a big deal."

Meta Knight felt relieved. So the announcement had merely been a few hours ago, not weeks as he feared. He sighed contented. Looking down, he saw her hand on his and his stomach did flips. Jigglypuff pulled away hastily, face red.

"Anyway, we should get going," she quickly said, heading for the door.

*****************************************O.O*****************************************

He never imagined this would be so hard. In his life, he dealt with many hardships; outliving everyone he cared about, forced to kill his best friend, watch all his friends die on the battlefield, training Kirby to be a strong Star Warrior...now dating a girl he 'fell in love' with. At the movies, he selected a seat next to Jigglypuff but pretended not to notice when she glanced his way.

Meta Knight's shoulders stiffened as he held his arms firmly in place. The urge to reach over, display his affection for her, to show he cared was almost too tempting. He closed his eyes, trying to relax. What did the therapist tell him to do when he was stressed? Crap, he forgot. The moment prevented him from thinking straight with a calm mind.

The opening began playing cheesy romantic music. As classic as it seemed, he felt more uncomfortable than he did before. Luckily no one questioned him sitting next to Jigglypuff. So far, he managed to stay still, abstaining from wrapping an arm around her. In the first half an hour of the movie, he came up with as many reasons he could for why he shouldn't show any signs of affection towards her; each sounded pathetic, obvious denial.

The mood tensed as the movie progressed. Meta Knight had to tightly wrap his cape around himself as not to lose control over himself. His vision spun as he desperately fought to stay calm, not to give in to his intimate side. From a glance he appeared to be in pain but fortunately no one noticed.

The kiss scene played on the screen and the very images sent shivers up his back. He felt his mind blank out, his only motive to show Jigglypuff he deeply cared for her. His arm extended out of his cape and around her body. Jigglypuff gazed into his eyes and he immediately felt the urges to show more signs of affection; the feeling shocked him. _What was he doing?_ Yet, his mind excluded his surroundings. All that mattered to him was Jigglypuff.

His other hand placed itself over hers on the armrest for a moment before he reached to his mask to lift it a bit but not high enough for his face to be visible in the darkened room. Meta Knight leaned closer to her, holding her affectionately. Jigglypuff's eyes widened when she felt his lips press against her cheek. She relaxed in his warm grasp and wrapped an arm around his shoulder for a moment.

There were "awwws," and gasps from the others in the room. Meta Knight realized what he was doing and pulled away, slamming his mask down on his face. He quickly sat up and wrapped his dimensional cape around himself and vanished into thin air. Jigglypuff sat there confused as the credits played.

Meta Knight ran as fast as he could away from the theatre, not caring which direction he was headed. He hastily opened the doors to the Smash Mansion and hurried upstairs to the Master Hand's office. Even if he wasn't there, the therapist should be. He pounded on the door harder than he expected, but she answered the door, shocked to see Meta Knight.

"Did something happen?" She asked concerned.

"I made...a fool of myself in front of everyone..." he replied, blushing deeply from the embarrassing experience. "I...kissed Jigglypuff at the movies."

"That's great! How did she react?" Interest brightened her tone.

"I don't know. I...left before anything else happened." As he admitted this to her, he felt extremely ashamed. He swore he would never fall in love and abstain from anything related to romance but there he had been, breaking his vow. "She probably will never speak to me again. The others will tease me...I'm staying in this room for good until the tournament's over. I cannot face any of them again..."

"Meta Knight...that's a little too harsh. Why would anyone think badly of you?"

He waved a hand in dismissal. "I need to relax. Would you mind starting the treatment?"

The therapist nodded. "All right."


	20. Episode Sixteen

**Author's Notes: Another update done so soon. Oh my gosh, so many reviews! Thank you everyone! Your feedback means so much to me;) Only two or three more chapters left of this season. It's come a long way. I hope you will all continue to support this story!**

**Disclaimer: *falls asleep, too bored to type the same thing***

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

**Episode Sixteen: Apprehension**

_I opened my eyes, resting against the pillows sighing with content. My gaze remained to the stars shining beautifully against the night sky. Nothing occupied my mind, everything seemed at ease. _

_I faintly heard the sound of clinking armour approaching behind me. I smiled at Meta Knight. His mask seemed to shimmer as the stars reflected from the metal. He gazed at me, eyes blue. I remembered him whispering something to me, yet I couldn't keep up and understand what he was saying. I felt a gentle breeze against my cheek, now realizing it was Meta Knight's breath. My jaw gaped open, amazed of how sweet it was to my senses. _

_A gasp escaped me. His mask was off, but I couldn't make out his facial features in the darkness. He leaned closer to my face, grasping me by the shoulders and embracing me in a hug. Meta Knight's mouth planted itself over my slightly open one and his lips casually stroked against mine. By now his body lay next to mine; the urge was too tempting. I reached over and gently rubbed his arm, massaging small circles against his tense muscles. For being so small, he was so strong. He held me tightly, cheek nuzzling mine. _

_I leaned forward to touch him again..._

Jigglypuff opened her eyes abruptly, breathing heavily. She glanced over at Meta Knight's bed. He still slept soundly his masked face pressed against his pillow, the way he normally slept. His hands grasped the pillows though, his shoulders tensed up again. Meta Knight tossed and turned a few times and the urge to lightly touch his shoulder almost got the best of her.

_"What am I thinking? Am I in love or something?" _One more look at the sleeping puffball made her heart flutter. She could never forget the time at the movies when Meta Knight kissed her. He left before she could react though and she knew how embarrassed he must have felt. Jigglypuff didn't see him for a whole day afterwards and it was only now that he decided to return but he refused to leave the room. Jigglypuff offered to bring him meals and he gladly appreciated it.

Meta Knight felt like part of her heart now. She wished she could go out with him on a date and get to know him better. He interested her; his mysterious ways were fascinating, reflexes abnormally quick. Jigglypuff sighed. _"Wishful thinking."_

She heard Meta Knight toss over to his other side, squeezing the pillow so tight, she thought the fabric would tear. Jigglypuff floated over to his bed and sat down beside him. The physical proximity between them excited her. She could feel a mysterious vibe emit from him, a sweet scent so addicting.

Her hands touched his shoulder before she could stop herself. His skin felt so unreal. Perhaps since he was sound asleep lost in his own dreams, it would be all right. She removed one of his gloves, carefully doodling images onto his palm with her hand. Jigglypuff almost went into shock when his hand held hers in an unbreakable tender grasp...it was like he wanted her company, affection.

Jigglypuff lifted his mask a little, deciding to take a risk. Not to see his face, that was his privacy, but to give him a quick peck on the cheek. Her face glowed red instantly when her lips parted. She didn't expect herself to do that; if he was awake, he probably would have resisted, maybe even hate her.

She yawned, now realizing she was more tired than she thought. Maybe his company was the cause; the soothing aura that surrounded his very body. Her cheek rested against his shoulder pad, his hand still entwined with hers. Jigglypuff refused to believe he would do that at his own free will. It was no more than a mere coincidence. If she hadn't been there, he'd still be squeezing his pillow again. That excuse hardly convinced her; had he never kissed her at the movies, maybe, just maybe, she would have believed that. No coincidence caused Meta Knight to kiss her. The only reason could be he had feelings for her.

_"Impossible...I'm the weakest Smasher in the tournament. How could he even think of liking me in any way? He's perfect; a top tier. Since when in his life did he make a mistake?" _Her heart sunk at her next thoughts.

_"His mistake was...kissing me that night. No one would dare." _Jigglypuff sighed. Back in the first tournament, she remembered, she had been teased that she was sweet on Kirby which was completely untrue. 'Oh, but you're perfect for each other!' they had said and it annoyed her every time, but now they spoke to her more about Meta Knight. Apparently the scene at the movies initiated more of a commotion than she thought. To add to the mood, he never left the room since then except for any brawls he had scheduled and each time, he won.

'He's your type huh? Mysterious, quiet, chivalrous...' She heard that one more than enough, but however, it held truth. Jigglypuff was attracted by those qualities and why he could find her interesting escaped her logic.

She yawned again. Okay, maybe she stayed up too late. She remembered tomorrow was Saturday. No brawls were scheduled; the weekends were the perfect opportunity to relax, perhaps the time for dating but she discarded that thought. Meta Knight dating? In her dreams. Forgetting that he lay next to her, she drifted to sleep leaning against him. Hoping he wouldn't mind, she wrapped herself in his cape. The warmth easily granted the sleep she desperately needed.

Meta Knight opened his eyes, yawning. The whole time he slept, he experienced nightmares. He lifted his mask up a little to wipe away any sweat that remained on his forehead. His other hand felt warmer than usual. He looked down and saw it entwined with Jigglypuff's, who was snuggling against his side.

His face felt hotter as she whispered his name softly. He felt like kissing her again, but successfully refrained from acting upon his intense feelings. Meta Knight carefully slid his hand out of hers and put back on his glove before sitting up. Jigglypuff's eyes opened, and when she saw he was awake, her face turned scarlet.

"I-I'm sorry!" She jumped off the bed and hurried out of the room, slamming the door behind herself, ashamed the whole time she ran downstairs to the cafeteria. Meta Knight blinked, confused, body tilting slightly. Did he do something wrong?

Jigglypuff sat down at the breakfast table, being the last one of her friends to be there. They swiftly turned, relieved she showed up.

"Where were you?" Toon Link demanded. "It's past ten! What held you up?"

_"I was snuggling with Meta Knight," _she thought with shame. She sighed. "Oh nothing. Just stayed up too late with the movie and all." _Oh no, the movie. Not the best subject to bring up at the moment. _

"Didn't Meta Knight kiss you?" Lucas , who was drinking his juice, nearly choked and spat it all over the table while Kirby gazed at her, eyes filled with wonder. Toon Link's expression was unreadable.

"_Meta Knight _kissed you?" His tone held no emotion, yet his expression held shock. "Don't tell me you have a crush on the loner!"

"No!" Jigglypuff shouted a little too loudly. Many heads turned their way, but she paid them no mind. She stared down Toon Link. "What do you have against Meta Knight anyway? All you do was put him down! He never did anything to you!"

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute! You're _standing _up for him? What has got into you Jigglypuff?"

"Answer my question first!"

"Meta Knight shows absolutely no emotion around us. He doesn't want to be near others. All he ever does during activities is read and isolate himself from everyone else. How do you expect us to trust and believe in him when all he does is push us away?"

"Toon Link, you know that isn't true!" Jigglypuff protested. "Maybe it is us who must reach out! You don't know what could have happened to him in the past."

"And you do?" Jigglypuff fumed silently for a moment.

"That's his business. I would never force him to talk about it!"

"You love him," he stated. Jigglypuff stared at him, restraining her emotions. By now, everyone was staring at them. "Admit it. You fell in love with the loner."

"Stop calling him a loner," she demanded coldly.

"No way! He is a loner! The Master Hand should never have invited him into this tournament. Thanks to that, he's one of the top Smashers." His bitterness made her eyes widen.

"So...that's it...You're jealous of him. You want to be the top Smasher but after you saw him brawl for the first time, you held a grudge against him ever since!" It all made sense to her. Jealousy never came to as a possible explanation until now. Toon Link glared, obviously, she touched a nerve.

"You stupid weakling," he hissed at her. "Unlike you, I happen to win some matches and you always lose! You're one to talk! Maybe you should take lessons from the loner!"

Jigglypuff's eyes burned with tears. She. Had. It. Before she could stop herself, her hand aimed for Toon Link's face, slapping him as hard as she could. He gasped from the pain and glared hatefully at her. She whacked him upside the head afterwards, sending him to the ground. Too angry at her, Toon Link stormed out of the room.

"How dare you!" They heard a menacing voice growl. They shrunk back in their seats, intimidated. "You made her cry! Y-You bullied her! For that, you will suffer!" Toon Link screamed from terror, retreating back into the cafeteria. Shortly after, they heard a sword clang against the walls.

"No, it can't be..." Jigglypuff said softly.

Meta Knight entered the cafeteria, eyes glowing furiously red, sword unsheathed. He was completely oblivious to everyone else in the room except for Toon Link. "How dare you bully Jigglypuff like that? You expect me to forgive you, leave you unscathed? I hope you enjoy pain!" Toon Link ran away to the porch, angering Meta Knight further.

"You coward!" He shouted after him, cape now transforming to his wings. "You dare run from a fight and call yourself a Smasher? You're pathetic! If I had my way, I'd kill you right now!" His hand holding Galaxia shook from rage. Toon Link closed his eyes waiting for him to attack.

"Meta Knight, stop!" He turned to see Jigglypuff, eyes wide with fear. His eyes returned to yellow and he shamefully sheathed his sword. He shook all over, on the verge of crying.

"Forgive me," he said weakly using his cape to disappear. Jigglypuff knew he would appear in the bedroom. She spotted the elevator and followed in pursuit.

Meta Knight lay on his bed, breathing heavily. He acted horrendous. It wouldn't be long before everyone turned against him. The door opened and he expected Jigglypuff to yell at him. Instead, she stayed quiet, hesitantly inching towards him. He held out his arm invitingly, though he was biting his lip.

It seemed like minutes before Jigglypuff relaxed against him. They didn't speak for a few long awkward silences.

"I..." Jigglypuff began but stopped. She turned away, blushing. He seemed perfectly calm now; his quick changing emotions unnerved her.

"Jigglypuff, I apologize for my despicable behaviour earlier. I should not have acted like that. It was uncalled for. I do not know what came over me..." He stopped speaking, eyes turning grey. Jigglypuff never saw that colour before, that sad grey colour.

"It's all right. You weren't the only one that gave him a fright. I hit him earlier...twice."

"You did?" His eyes glowed pink, reassuring her. "Perhaps he'll leave you alone now."

"I hope so, but I feel bad too. I never thought I'd feel so guilty...I'll apologize to him later. It's the right thing to do," Jigglypuff replied.

A long silence followed, then Meta Knight spoke up. "Jigglypuff..."

"Hmmm?" She gazed into his eyes.

"D-Did you...I-I was wondering...if..."

"What is it Meta Knight?"

"Did you..." He sighed. "How would you fancy meeting me at the forest tomorrow afternoon?"

Jigglypuff sat there, shocked. Was Meta Knight asking her out on a date? That had to be his intentions. "Around four in the afternoon?"

"Sure, that shouldn't be a problem. We'll be gone for a while so you may want to eat earlier."

"I'll be more than happy to go out with you Meta Knight! I can't wait," she replied, beaming. Meta Knight felt more flutters in his heart. He did it. He asked Jigglypuff out. He didn't even use advice from any websites. At the date he knew he couldn't rely on any of that. He needed to be sincere and honest, speaking from his own heart and mind. Perhaps then he could tell her the truth.

_"I love you Jigglypuff." _


	21. Episode Seventeen

**Chapter Twenty-One:**

**Episode Seventeen: The ****Forest**

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The sun was close to setting, embracing the Smash Universe with twilight before the end of the day. The temperature had been warm, the pleasant July breeze sweeping across the land. For a Saturday, it was calm rather than chaotic. The Smashers, even the villains, didn't cause any trouble. Days like these came rarely. Meta Knight would have enjoyed the morning better had he not been persuaded to join the other swordsmen in their conversation after breakfast.

**_Flashback from After Breakfast:_**

"I heard you gave Toon Link quite a scare yesterday," Ike said, finishing his coffee. "Wish I could have seen it though. I happened to be at the training room with Marth at the time."

"I don't think so," Link replied. "Meta Knight doesn't normally act like that."

"It was an accident," Meta Knight said, not even going to mention the truth. He'd rather leave it in the shadows and let it go, and not let the startling truth bother him. He refused to go to therapy after the incident and to his annoyance, everyone found out.

"Did you go to therapy afterwards?" Ike casually asked him. Meta Knight nearly spat out his juice which he drank with a straw.

"W-Where did you hear that from?" He asked menacingly. "And to answer your question, I never went to therapy."

"I heard the Master Hand talking about it last week," Ike answered. "And we all know you're lying. We know you are under a lot of stress. Is it because you're a top tier in this tournament?"

"Um..." Did he mention something like that in the Master Hand's office last week? He couldn't remember what lies he told. He took a deep breath and made a decision. "Yes, that has to be it."

"That's not what you told the Master Hand," Ike pointed out. "He said it was emotional."

Meta Knight froze up. Oh no, caught in a lie.

_"Your brawling record has been good; in fact it is one of the top. Has this been causing you stress?"_

_"No." Didn't the Master Hand know when to give up? This conversation had been going no where._

_The Master Hand closed the folder. "If it is not that, does this have to do with another Smasher perhaps?"_

_"No..."_

_"Be honest __Meta__ Knight. Is someone bothering you?"_

_"No."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"I am certain."_

_"Is it perchance, emotional?"_

_Meta__ Knight shifted again. He had to admit, the Master Hand was clever in his ways, especially when it came to interrogating. He bit his lip. He needed to change the topic._

_"Master Hand?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"What is bothering me...is the fact that you shut me up in this office for over an hour demanding a response I cannot provide. I already answered honestly so I have the right to leave. Our conversation is over. To be correct, it should have been over in the first minute I came here."_

_"You are not leaving, at least, not yet. After I mention emotional pain, why are so intent on leaving? You are hurting emotionally, are you?"_

"That letter you were carrying...that must have been an appointment for the therapist. It all makes sense now."

"_You were spying?!_" His tone was more threatening than he wanted it to be; it sounded more like a growl. Ike flinched, seeing Meta Knight's eyes flash red, his cape twitching. "That was supposed to be personal and yet you intruded upon my privacy! How dare you?"

Marth spoke up. "Please Meta Knight, don't be mad at him. He was only concerned for your well being."

Meta Knight's hand shook, nearly breaking the glass containing his juice. He slammed it down on the table and left the Smash Mansion, cape transformed into his wings. He needed to leave before he was overcome by his demon side.

**_End of Flashback:_**

Meta Knight stood by the forest, now almost four in the afternoon. Twice he put the other Smashers at risk. Therapy wouldn't do him any good, especially that everyone found out because of Ike. He couldn't bring himself to go there again, let alone be interrogated by that _woman_. His eyes flashed red, wings coming out. There was no other choice. He had to leave the Tournament.

"Are you there Meta Knight?" came a familiar voice, freezing him in place. His date with Jigglypuff; he _almost forgot. _

"Y-Yes Jigglypuff," he called back, jumping down from the tree. His eyes reverted to yellow, wings back into its cape form. He nearly lost control around Jigglypuff; he needed to calm down. He remembered clearly the anxiety he felt asking her out, the humility of researching romance advice...it didn't help him any.

"Wow, I like this place. I can't believe I never noticed this place before." Thankfully she didn't hear of the incident that morning. After what happened with Toon Link, she was better off not knowing.

Hesitantly, he wrapped an arm around her, deciding the touch would be safe. She blushed and hid her face against his shoulder pad, and he chuckled softly. The forest was a lush green, the trail perfectly tidied, nothing to trip over. Varieties of beautiful flowers blossomed among the edges of the immaculate clearing.

Meta Knight paused for a moment to pick a vivant lily and walked back to Jigglypuff, placing it on her curl. She forgot to breathe for a moment, but one glance into his alluring eyes reminded her of the lack of oxygen she inhaled in the last minute. For the next few minutes, she relaxed her breathing to a comfortable pace. The trail led to a steep hill which she admitted, tired her out quite a bit.

He noticed her exhaustion and stopped. "Jigglypuff, are you all right?"

"Yeah," she replied, panting slightly. "Just tired."

Before she knew it, she was in Meta Knight's arms. He assisted lifting her onto his back. She was initially surprised that he was allowing that, but snuggled in at the top of his cape all the same. He had outstanding endurance but the whole way there, he never seemed to tire. They made it to the top in a comfortable silence.

Meta Knight gently placed Jigglypuff back on the ground and she happily obliged to sit next to him. Below the cliff was a high drop, but the view was gorgeous; the sunset and beach easily could be seen, yet from such a breathtaking view they seemed so small. Sunset...did Meta Knight choose this time and place to be romantic?

"Jigglypuff," he spoke. "I am glad you came. I appreciate it."

"Oh...it was nothing really. I was more than happy to!" She gazed at the glistening waters below. "Wow, this is beautiful..."

"Like someone else I know..." Meta Knight spoke softly under his breath.

"Who would that be?" Jigglypuff asked, smiling to herself.

Meta Knight bit his lip. She heard? He glanced at her and back to the sunset. "You..." he admitted, face red.

"...Really...? You mean that?"

"Yes." He held her hands tenderly in his own. "You are excessively gorgeous, more than anything I've seen in my lifetime and ever will see. One look at your eyes and..." He stopped speaking, blushing. "...I'm...amazed..."

Jigglypuff blushed too. No one ever complimented her like that...could Meta Knight really feel that way...? It had to be impossible. She had to find out how he felt; maybe more about him. He interested her; the past he experienced was intriguing. "Meta Knight?"

"Yes?" He looked at her, eyes shimmering against the sunset in the background. He never looked more handsome.

"How did you first react when we first met four months ago?" Jigglypuff figured that would be the most important question to ask without seeming suspicious.

"Hmmm," he thought for a moment. "Honestly speaking, I trusted you. Mmhm, you fascinated me so Jigglypuff. You were the only one who reached out, showed you cared. It shocked me."

"Why would that be shocking? Has anyone ever cared for you before you came here, besides Kirby?" The question threw him off guard. He looked down, wrapped tightly in his cape.

"Not really. The ones who did exist no longer."

Jigglypuff gasped, a reaction she couldn't control. "How? They died?!"

"A long time ago, in the war."

"What war?"

"The one against Nightmare."

"The one Kirby defeated with the Star Rod?" Jigglypuff asked. Meta Knight's eyes widened at the unexpected knowledge she possessed.

"Kirby told you about that?"

"Yeah...You were in that war? A long time ago? You fought alongside the Star Warriors?"

"Yes," he replied. "I've seen things, experienced numerous hardships you cannot begin to imagine. Never would I voice what happened to anyone. I've learned to let go."

"Meta Knight, are you really 'letting go' or internalizing?" He looked away, confirming she was correct. "Why do you let yourself suffer so? It doesn't seem fair..."

"Life isn't fair Jigglypuff, unfortunately. That's the way everything has always been and always will be." His eyes seemed clouded, changing to the depressing grey colour she once had witnessed before. "My life in the war...I wish I could forget it all and be free... I never can do whatever I strived for back then. My destiny, so to say, had been decided since I was..."

"Since...?" Jigglypuff leaned forward, intently gazing into his eyes. She still held his hands, and once in while, he would give a gentle squeeze. "What happened?"

"If I told you, do you _swear_ not to tell anyone? No matter what?" It was like truth or dare as he starred into her eyes.

Jigglypuff nodded. "I promise. You have my word."

Meta Knight shifted uncomfortably before sighing. "Nightmare...created me. He created me for the sole purpose of being his successful demon; the demon he would use at his disposal to eliminate the Star Warriors. He made a mistake. I possessed a soul which provided me with a free will to rebel against as my fate as Nightmare's demon. I joined the Galaxy Soldier's Army. Despite that, he was determined to eliminate me. I was cared about, but to see everyone you know die and escape as the only survivor...it was traumatizing."

"Oh," Jigglypuff's eyes filled with tears. "I never knew..."

"My best friend had become a demon and I was left with no other choice but to kill him. The memories, I never will forget. Nightmare's goal was to anger me. He knew he could use this to his advantage. I still possess my demon side, even with the war long over. It worries me...Remember that time when I nearly hurt Toon Link yesterday?"

"Yes, I do...Wait, was that your demon side...?"

"Exactly...this brought one particular thought to my mind. What if the next time, should I ever be provoked, instead of Toon Link being my intended target, what if it was...you?" Jigglypuff gasped.

"You wouldn't hurt me."

"_I _would not...but my demon side may overcome my free will and in the process...I do not want to hurt anyone, not even Toon Link despite the way he's treated you. No one deserves to be hurt in my wrath. I often wonder...if I should leave the Tournament. Everyone would be safer, especially you."

Jigglypuff couldn't speak for a moment. Her response stuck in her throat but she forced herself to respond. "Y-You're planning on l-leaving? T-That's...Please don't go...M-Meta Knight, you mean a lot to me...! Y-You can't leave now..."

"It may be for the best. I don't belong here in this tournament...I'm a monster...an outcast..." His eyes shined dark grey.

"M-Meta Knight, d-don't say that...we all care..." She burst into tears. "I told everyone about therapy...it wasn't Ike. I was the one who discussed how stressed you were to the Master Hand. You went to therapy because of me...! It caused such a commotion with Ike this morning...I felt so terrible. I-If I told the truth..." Tears streamed down her cheeks and she buried her face in her hands.

Seeing Jigglypuff upset broke Meta Knight's heart. What kind of failure was he? He didn't belong anywhere, he made Jigglypuff cry...He felt guilty. With no hesitation, he leaned closer and hugged her, his own eyes filling with tears.

"Jigglypuff...I am sorry..." He dried the tears with his gloved hand. "I won't leave the Tournament. I'll stay..."

She sighed with relief, the tears still coming but from happiness. "All that...has been bothering you all this time...It is emotional."

"That is not all. Something else has been on my mind for a while now." He wiped the last of her tears away and she smiled at him sweetly. "I have grown attached to you...You are the most important one to me, ever. I never knew what this meant. I would die for you, to ensure you would be happy...it all led to one conclusion."

He placed both hands on her shoulders, staring into Jigglypuff's eyes. "I love you."

Her eyes widened. "Y-You do? Meta Knight...I love you too."

Meta Knight lifted his mask slightly. "May I tell you a secret?" She nodded, eyes brightening with joy. His face was only an inch away from hers. "You have beautiful sparkling eyes." His lips pressed against her cheek for two full seconds. He waited her reaction to see how she took it. Her smile told him she enjoyed it. His shyness faded away. He felt like he could be himself.

"Your name is beautiful...Purin really suits you." His lips softly touched her face, travelling along her cheek. She smiled and leaned against him. It was time. Shyness temporarily nonexistent, he removed the mask completely and placed it on the ground beside him. Jigglypuff gasped. He was _adorable! _Meta Knight's lips met hers at last; she instantly accepted the kiss and pulled him in a tender grasp.

They spent the next hour expressing their inner feelings. And Meta Knight was proud he didn't use any research to assist him with confessing his true feelings. The sunset faded, stars lightening the night sky. As a shooting star passed, they both vowed no matter what happens, they would stay together, even after the tournament.


	22. Episode Eighteen

**:)Author's Notes(: Oh wow, this is getting a lot of feedback! I'm happy many are enjoying this story and thanks to you, this series is having an extra three part episode. I hope you like it. Some of this will be hard to write so I apologize if my updates take longer from here on out. I'll do the best I can!**

**Disclaimer: Same as before.**

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**Chapter Twenty Two**

**Episode Eighteen: Approaching Struggle **

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Jigglypuff remained by Meta Knight's side the whole way they walked back to the Smash Mansion. Evening came quickly, no traces of sunset left in the starry skies. Every second, their sides touched, hands entwined with each others. Jigglypuff loved Meta Knight; she never dreamed in the whole Tournament they would ever hold hands.

She rested against his shoulder, eyes closing. Exhaustion settled into her being leaving her depleted of energy. He wrapped his arms around her, holding Jigglypuff gently. Eyes opened halfway, she noticed he was not headed towards the main doors.

Her jaw dropped when she saw his cape transform into wings. They looked real compared to that of viewing them from a distance. Her hand extended towards one just to stroke it. Shocked it felt so velvety and smooth—and warm, her hand dropped back to her side. Meta Knight chuckled, stroking the side of her cheek affectionately.

"Yes Jigglypuff, they are real," he said, seeming to read her mind. His eyes glowed softly, shining brighter. Jigglypuff blushed, hiding her face against his mask. "Are you afraid of heights?" he asked suddenly.

"No," she replied. "Not when I'm with you." He chuckled, securing her in his grasp. She heard his wings fluttering, seeing the ground below from a higher distance. Normally she would have been afraid, but Meta Knight was with her, protecting her by a warm embrace and grasp. Jigglypuff's heart fluttered looking into his eyes now; they seemed to shimmer with joy and for him to be in such a good mood eased her.

He took off from the cliff, wings gracefully guiding them amongst the warm winds of late July. She held onto him tightly; it would be impossible to be separated from him without pain, both physically and emotionally.

Jigglypuff gazed at the stars above with wonder. "Wow, the stars are really beautiful...This really was a perfect time to be together."

"I agree," Meta Knight said, smiling. Jigglypuff knew by now whether he was smiling even with the mask on by looking at his eyes. They landed gently, soundlessly. Jigglypuff stood up, shaky from being airborne for so long.

"T-That was amazing...I never experienced anything like that in my life."

"Are you going into shock yet?" Meta Knight asked, eyes glowing a distinct shade of pink. "Does flying fascinate you that much?"

"Maybe," she said, blushing. Jigglypuff looked up longingly into his eyes, desiring his affection. He understood her body language apparently, as his arms wrapped around her waist. Her breath was literally taken away as their faces inched closer. Jigglypuff lifted up Meta Knight's mask, admiring his cute face. She couldn't resist him anymore. Her lips drew nearer to his, Meta Knight doing the same.

Jigglypuff kissed him gently on the mouth, and to her joy, he did too. His desire was noticeable. The way he held her in his arms, the romantic contact of his lips upon hers, the longing in his gaze. His mask slid off completely falling to the ground with a small clank. They lay down on the cool, yet soft grass still holding onto each other, kissing. With no mask in the way between them, Jigglypuff placed her hands on his cheeks, savouring each moment caressing each.

A pleasant shiver travelled down her back hearing a moan emit from Meta Knight's vocal. Very absorbed in the moment, the two were not aware of the approaching footsteps heading in their direction.

"Awwwww!" came an enthusiastic squeal. Both Meta Knight and Jigglypuff separated immediately to see Peach and Zelda at the doors. Behind them were Ike and Marth who happened to see the two kissing each other. Faces red, they distanced themselves away from each other.

"Is that you Meta Knight?" Ike said in disbelief.

After a moment of delayed reaction, Meta Knight realized his mask was still off and he swiped it from the ground hastily putting it back on. His cheeks still felt warm as he stood from the ground. This was completely embarrassing; being caught kissing his 'girlfriend' in front of four other Smashers who also happened to see his face. Jigglypuff blushed too and as she stood up, she looked away.

He needed to get away before he shamed himself any more than he already was. Wrapping his cape around himself forcefully, Meta Knight walked past them without saying a word and turned the corner from their sight. He had not forgotten his previous encounter with Ike and he didn't want to get angry again. His demon like behaviour became noticeable to everyone and to admit the truth to them would risk him being expelled from the Tournament.

Using his wings, he flew up on a tall branch to be by himself and calm down. Meta Knight sighed. He did consider leaving the tournament, but for Jigglypuff to be upset at that made him sad. It would too much humiliation and pain to be up in the Master Hand's office being told to leave. For his sake and the safety of others, he needed to control himself better; he swore to never go to therapy again. His life, his feelings were _none_ of that nosy woman's business. She had no right to question him like that.

"Meta Knight," he heard a voice say from beside him. "It's all right. They are not going to tell anyone." He turned to see Jigglypuff sitting next to him.

He didn't say anything; he couldn't speak. One look into Jigglypuff's shining eyes made his heart do summersaults. Meta Knight nodded, still trying to use his voice but the words were stuck in his throat. He inched closer to her and to his surprise, she did the same. They were alone under the bright glow of the full moon with each other. Jigglypuff placed her hand on his and he held it securely in his own.

"It's all right now. Everyone's inside." She sounded hopeful and there was no way Meta Knight wanted to ruin the moment. He cautiously removed the mask, expression as cute as ever. He leaned on her shoulder, breathing evenly.

"I love you," he said softly. "Now where were we?" Meta Knight held her around the waist, lips approaching hers. She relaxed completely in his arms, attracted to his very presence. Carefully and slowly, his lips stroked her cheeks making their way to her own, first feeling along her jaw. Jigglypuff was at a loss for words; his kissing was incredible. No one could ever replicate him. At all.

They separated, Meta Knight still holding her. Jigglypuff was grateful; otherwise, she would have fainted from shock. Romance was a new experience for her. She wouldn't deny it. Meta Knight was very romantic. Her face pressed against his and as every second passed, she listened to his heart beating. There was no tension in his posture; his shoulders were relaxed, arms free of stress.

Attaching the mask back on his face a few minutes later, he secured Jigglypuff in his arms. His cape transformed into wings, preparing for flight. "You won't go into shock this time?" He asked her, amused.

"I'll try not to," she replied.

"That's a shame." His eyes shone brightly the whole way he flew to the Smash Mansion's main doors. Trying to keep to her word, Jigglypuff stood resisting the shaky sensation throughout her body. Meta Knight noticed her attempts and laughed softly, shoulders shaking. Jigglypuff scowled.

"Very funny," she said. One more gaze at him made her blush. Meta Knight extended a hand to her and she accepted the gesture. Without taking notice of the Smashers, he held her hand the whole way to the meeting room. A meeting had been scheduled for all the Smashers and after glancing at the clock, Jigglypuff saw they were ten minutes early.

The other Smashers stared at them for a moment, but when the Master Hand called for equal undivided individual attention, they weren't the center of attention fortunately.

"Thank you all for coming here on time. I expect that you will all listen to today's meeting. A very important occasion is coming up at the Smash Tournament and I wish for you to be as well informed as possible. We have decided to hold a Tournament Competition for every Smasher. Everyone is required to participate. If you lose, you are out, meaning you cannot participate in any more matches. Each winner will go up against each other until we have the final four top Smashers. The winner will be declared the champion and will receive an honour. Of course, a reward will be supplied...Crazy Hand, the rule list please."

The Crazy Hand flew in the room at mach speed, breaking down the door in the process, the list surprisingly staying in one piece.

"In this tournament, there have been rules established. Your behaviour will correspond to them and any different conduct will be questioned. First of all, cheating is strictly forbidden. There will be no items allowed during these matches. The tournament tests skill of the Smasher, not their luck based on using an item. Some of you happened to win matches that way. Once you are out of bounds once, you lose the match. The office will have tight security to ensure the matches cannot be rigged or tampered with. Fair and square, no cheating. I wish for everyone to do their best in this event."

"I advise for everyone to eat well beforehand. And yes, you will all be healed after your matches to ensure every contestant is at their best state. The matches will be done over a period of three days. On the third day, the finals will be held. Good luck to all of you. The Competitions starts on Monday, the day after tomorrow. Rest up until then. You are all dismissed."

Two days. Meta Knight wasn't looking forward to it, despite being known as a top tier. He feared the urge to kill would take over his senses during those matches but to voice his concerns to the Master Hand might expel him altogether. He didn't speak at all for the rest of the night. If he ever hated himself for being made a demon, it would have been the strongest now. _"I am in control of my emotions," _he thought to himself. _"I don't have to be a monster. I must fight this or risk hurting someone badly. Not only will this competition test my skills as a Smasher, but how controlled I can be over my demon side."_

He lived his whole life with this.

And he wasn't going to give in now.


	23. Episode Nineteen, Part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.

**Sept. 7 2012- I really appreciate these reviews "amy!" (Guest) I forgot about the chapter 19 disclaimer actually. XD I didn't remember I wrote that. Seasons 1 and 2 are really old ones of mine. It gets a bit better when you get to Season 3. So glad you're still enjoying this!**

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**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**Episode Nineteen, Part 1: Tension**

The next two days passed by, some of the most stressful days so far in the Third Tournament. The training rooms had been crammed full of thirty five Smashers attacking various objects in sight. No one really paid attention to their surroundings; the situation wasn't exactly safe and the Master Hand was too occupied in his office with papers at his desk to notice the commotions often occurring from downstairs on the other side of the Smash Mansion.

Jigglypuff watched the others from a corner, intimidated. The Master Hand hadn't made the training rooms large enough; an error in the designing of the Smash Mansion. Beside her was Meta Knight, who stood close by as if to protect her. The Master Hand, unfortunately, never considered that all the Smashers training in the same room was not safe; in fact, there were many dangers involved.

A second later, one of Olimar's Pikman missed Jigglypuff's face by an inch. She gasped, falling over and happened to fall against Fox who, at the time, was showing off with his gun. Startled, he accidently fired and the laser reflected off Link's shield and hit Bowser's foot. He hopped up and down stepping on a frying pan Peach neglected to pick up off the ground and he stumbled, landing on top of Olimar. The Pikmen tried to pull him out but they couldn't. One purple Pikman gave a small tug and Olimar flew into the wall, free of Bowser's heavy weight.

The disasters kept coming, one after the other. Toon Link could be heard screaming trying to free his head from the abyss of Luigi's vacuum while Lucas was trying to escape from Kirby's mouth, who was getting very hungry. Lucas' screams were muffled but Ness and Yoshi were attempting to pull him free. Snake decided to get out of his cardboard box, oblivious at the free-for-all in the training room. He yelped as Ike's sword narrowly missed his face by an inch. He retreated to his haven in his box. Ness had tripped Ganondorf when he was about to attack Link and he fell on top of Snake's cardboard box. In its crushed state, Snake was forced into the brawl.

"Snake, do you copy?" a voice came from the codec, which dropped from his hand as Marth slammed into him after being attacked by Lucario. Wario was opening his mouth to eat Mario but the codec landed in it instead. Snake eyed the situation in horror.

"No! My codec!" He glared towards Wario. Everyone knows that when Smashers desired revenge, things were bound to go wrong. Meta Knight watched the scene, sighed impatiently. Couldn't everyone be civil to each other for once rather than fighting all the time?

Jigglypuff had been trying to get out of the room, but with all the chaos, she was without success. She almost got sucked in by Kirby's inhale, but sighed with relief as Meta Knight stood in front of her, in a protective stance. For some strange reason, he never seemed to move an inch despite the powerful suction of the inhale. He stayed firmly in place.

"Kirby, what has gotten into you?" He asked, obviously annoyed. He eyed the button to the intercom connecting to the Master Hand's office. Meta Knight was about to press it when Pit and Ike shoved him out of the way. Ike's sword missed Pit and broke the button and Meta Knight nearly lost control.

To his shock, he felt a strong blow against his mask. He saw the Smasher standing in front of him was Toon Link, the last one he wanted to see right now.

Revenge. For what? He regrettably recalled his angry outburst in the cafeteria and shuddered. Meta Knight did not intend to put him in danger in the first place and still felt guilty for his actions. Yet Toon Link glared at him with pure loath. Had everyone gone mad in the last mere ten minutes?

Biting his lip, he unsheathed Galaxia and prepared to strike. It was self defence after all; this was an exception, he tried to convince himself. He heard a faint shriek in the background...it sounded like Jigglypuff. All he was aware of was a blow targeted at his mask and a pink blur in his vision.

Jigglypuff fell to the ground from trying to protect Meta Knight. His eyes widened, frightened seeing her hurt. He reached out to her and she collapsed in his arms. He glanced at her face and regretted doing so. On her cheek was a small cut, bleeding slightly. His stomach turned, the smell extra sensitive to him. She bit her lip, pulling away.

"I-I am so sorry," she said, eyes filling with tears instantly. "You don't like seeing me hurt...the blood must bother you so much. This is my fault."

Toon Link lowered his sword, guilt settling in his conscious. Jigglypuff knew the struggle Meta Knight was experiencing. His posture was considerably tense, his cape wrapped very tight around his body, eyes grey. He needed to get away before the blood appealed to him. As he was about to reach for the doorknob, Bowser fell, knocking the door down.

In the doorway was the Master Hand. The brawl stopped immediately, everyone freezing in place, scared.

"What happened here? I assume you were all training?"

"Uh...yes, that's right," Ike lied through his teeth. "We trained really hard...We went a little rough on the equipment. I promise we will fix this when we're done."

"Good, I hope you keep to your word."

A second after the Master Hand left, Meta Knight ran away as fast as he could. Only then did Peach and Zelda notice the cut on Jigglypuff's face.

"Oh my gosh, what happened?" they said at the same time.

"I just fell, nothing serious," she fibbed, wiping away the little blood lingering on her cheek. "I was clumsy, that's all."

Peach and Zelda exchanged worried looks. Toon Link looked away and hid behind Dedede. "Even so, it should be cleaned at the very least," Peach said. Jigglypuff nodded, relenting.

"All right, it would be for the best." _And for Meta Knight as well. He really went through a hard time in there. At this rate, how will all those brawls tomorrow affect him? I wish I could everything in my power to make this easier for him. He always has to suffer...it's unfair._

"Are you all right?" Zelda asked her.

"Uh, yes... I was lost in my thoughts. Sorry about that."

Tomorrow would be the day when the Tournament would begin. It would be the day of endurance, skills and maintaining control. He believed yesterday he had a chance of making it through the matches but after the morning's events, he doubted himself.

A simple cut on the face was enough to send his senses in a frenzy. Then again, in the stadium, no one could truly be hurt. There wouldn't be blood, and even with that advantage, his demon side still posed a threat to everyone's safety. Anger could emerge this side of him and in a tournament with many people watching on Live TV, his fear strengthened.

_"Am I strong...enough to do this?"_

He closed his eyes, imagining Jigglypuff was beside him. What would she say if she were there at his side?

_"Believe in yourself. If anyone can fight their demon side, endure the trials ahead, you can. I know you can do it...You're strong Meta Knight."_

Meta Knight smiled. Maybe he could give this a try. But if something was to go wrong, for someone to be at risk, he would have to confess to the Master Hand. That would risk him being expelled and he would rather not think about it. He had to stay, to be at Jigglypuff's side and to care for Kirby.

"I'll...give it a try..." he said to himself. If he believed in himself, he may succeed after all. The only to find out was to try and take the risk. Only the next three days would determine his destiny in Super Smash Brothers Brawl.


	24. Episode Nineteen, Part 2

**Author's Note:...Sorry about not writing for a week. But I think my Writer's Block is gone now so I hope to update more often. **

**Disclaimer: Same as usual**

**Chapter Twenty Four**

**Episode Nineteen, Part 2**

It was time.

Another enduring day passed, the Tournament approaching slower than Meta Knight would have preferred. It worried him, and if he didn't have to worry about losing control over his demon side, the hours might pass quicker. Ever since the incident in the training room, he kept his distance and so did Jigglypuff. After having the cut disinfected, she put a band-aid on it.

With the small wound covered, it made it easier for Meta Knight to be close to Jigglypuff, both emotionally and physically. It was Sunday night, and the Smashers were awaiting the upcoming day on Monday, tomorrow. The Smash Mansion could not have been chaotic enough already.

Meta Knight had chosen to remain by himself while the Smashers were celebrating in the main room. He sighed, none of this making sense to him; the day before they were having a free for all in the training room, now they were having a party? Jigglypuff had not come upstairs to the room and he assumed she was with the other Smashers, having fun at the party.

Fun? What was so fun about a party? In the few months he had participated in Brawl, Meta Knight never gave being involved a thought and pondered of why it was bothering him so much now. He couldn't be feeling lonesome. Why would he, of all people, be so worried over that?

"_I'm a demon. I don't belong anywhere. Sooner or later, the Master Hand will know of the truth and exile me from the tournament. I need to find another way to control myself. I snapped at others twice in the last week and I do not want to put others lives on the line." _Meta Knight didn't want to imagine ever being banned from Super Smash Brothers Brawl, yet the thought of leaving by himself sounded like a better idea. He could come up with an excuse as to his departure, and maybe the plan would be a success.

He sighed, leaning back onto the pillow. He just couldn't do it. Eyes closed, he easily could picture Jigglypuff's sad face in his mind. He made a promise to stay...that day he vowed to remain at the side.

_Seeing Jigglypuff upset broke Meta Knight's heart. What kind of failure was he? He didn't belong anywhere, he made Jigglypuff cry...He felt guilty. With no hesitation, he leaned closer and hugged her, his own eyes filling with tears._

"_Jigglypuff...I am sorry..." He dried the tears with his gloved hand. "I won't leave the Tournament. I'll stay..."_

The promise...it bound him to the tournament. If he made up a good enough excuse, perhaps Jigglypuff would understand. Meaning he would be lying, and even if he left, his conscious would haunt him. He clutched onto the pillow tightly, conflicted. What was he going to do? Inevitably, the Master Hand would know of the truth Meta Knight had been hiding from everyone and turn against him, discard him from existence.

Finally coming to a decision, Meta Knight took out a piece of paper and pencil.

_Dear Master Hand, _

_I regret to inform you that due to a crisis in my home planet, I will be temporary leaving the tournament. I am sorry to tell you on such short notice, but it arose so suddenly, I had no other choice but to depart immediately. I will be returning shortly and again, I am sorry I had to leave._

_Sincerely,_

_Meta Knight_

His eyes closed halfway as he thought the situation over. A problem back home would greatly concern the Master Hand, and he always allowed Smashers to leave if it was that serious. He never wrote what the problem was so he would have to make a story up when he returned. Crap, he never thought of that.

The door opened and Jigglypuff came in, smiling, unknowing to the struggle Meta Knight was experiencing during the time she spent downstairs. He hid the letter in his cape before she caught glimpse of it. "Aren't you going down to the party Meta Knight?"

"I'm not sure," he trailed off. He hated second thoughts...the promise...

"We could go together, if you like," she said, hand reaching for his. He obliged, the warmth fascinating him. He pushed aside any guilty feelings as they proceeded downstairs. If he was to leave, he might as well enjoy his time with Jigglypuff. She paused before opening the doors, and then hesitantly lifted up Meta Knight's mask. He chuckled knowingly. Quickly ensuring that no one else was present in the vacant hallway, he lifted the mask up all the way.

He swiftly pressed his lips to hers, hands on her cheeks. The feeling whenever he kissed Jigglypuff felt so...amazing...he felt lost in the moment, forgetting about his demon side...he didn't have to worry when he was around her. Abruptly, the door swung open and the two separated immediately. His arm wrapped around her, cape slightly over Jigglypuff's shoulders as they left the hallway. During which, the letter happened to fall out from Meta Knight's cape and onto the ground in plain sight. The door silently closed behind them.

"Come here you little pipsqueak!" Link shouted, chasing Toon Link down the hallway. "When I get my hands on you, you'll be sorry!"

"Come on Link! This is stupid!" Ike shouted, him and Marth also in pursuit. "We have better things to do!"

"You'll have to run a _little faster _than that!" Toon Link taunted. Suddenly he stopped in his tracks, skidding to a halt. He blinked, eying the paper on the floor. "Now what might this be?"

"Ha! You're in for it now," Link said triumphantly.

"Who cares about that? Look at this, I found something!" Toon Link told him. Link glanced at the paper.

"Where did you find that?"

"On the ground, right here," Toon Link replied. He unfolded it slowly, that is, before Link swiped it from his grip.

"That could be personal," he explained. "You don't know who's that is. We should bring it to the Master Hand. He'll know what to do."

"Sheesh, fine."

Link wouldn't allow Toon Link to read it on the way upstairs, no matter what he said. Marth and Ike had left them a while ago to return to the party, obviously thinking those two were still chasing one another. They had no idea of the surprising discovery they made. As they made it to the top floor, Toon Link needed to use the bathroom. Link eyed the paper, and made sure no one was around before he unfolded the paper.

He read the note through thoroughly, mouth dropping. Meta Knight was going to _leave the tournament_ without notice at the office. He thought back to the previous week when Toon Link had nearly been hurt and when Ike almost got attacked. Perhaps something was wrong inside with him and for that reason, Meta Knight would consider leaving, but permanently.

He just couldn't risk Meta Knight being found out, considering he most likely was lying. As quietly as he could, he ripped off part of the paper containing Meta Knight's signature, and folded it neatly again. He put the ripped piece in his pocket to dispose of it safely later on. Toon Link came out just in time, and they continued to head towards the office.

"What is it?" the Master Hand said, opening the door. "Why aren't you two at the party?"

"I think we need to talk," Link replied. "As soon as possible. It's very important. We found this on the ground." He held out the piece of paper.

"Very well then. You may enter," the Master Hand said, opening the door all the way. They closed the door, room silent for a few moments while the Master Hand was reading the letter carefully. "Where did you find this?" he asked, tone serious.

"On the ground_. I_ found it," Toon Link said proudly.

"Someone is planning on leaving the tournament? Who might that be?" the Master Hand looked at the bottom of the paper, only to see that part had been torn out. "Do you two have any idea who might have written this?"

"No, why would I know?" Toon Link replied.

"I have no idea," Link lied. "I do not know Master Hand."

"This is a mystery indeed. You may want to let the others know of this so we can find the Smasher. I apologize for not doing so myself, but I'm busy at the moment."

"No problem Master Hand," Link replied. "We'd be more than glad to help you."

"Thank you."

Link and Toon Link parted ways to the main room, informing everyone they saw. Link sighed. The Master Hand would do anything to find out the one who wrote the letter. He needed to warn Meta Knight when he had the chance and to be careful from now on. He returned to the party and found Marth and Ike standing by a table of refreshments.

"We heard about the letter," they said as he approached. "Toon Link told us."

"That is very suspicious. Someone wants to leave before the tournament matches start. You said that the Smasher didn't sign their name?" Snake said, joining in the conversation.

"That part was torn off, wasn't it?" Ike asked. Marth nodded.

Meta Knight overheard the conversation with shock. Everyone knew he was planning to leave? But they didn't know who...what happened to the letter? With horror, he realized it was no where to be found in his cape. It had gone missing and been reported to the Master Hand. He noticed Link gazing at him, expression unchanging from concern. Did he know?

Link debated for a moment, whether to tell Meta Knight the truth, which he knew what he was planning. He approached him cautiously and Meta Knight eyed him with mistrust.

"What do you want?" he asked, his grip on his cape tighter.

"Meta Knight," Link began. "I think we need to talk."


	25. Episode Nineteen, Part 3

**Author's Note: Thank you all so much for your feedback! This is definitely my best story yet on FFN! I was motivated to write this chapter even quicker than I expected. This is the last update until the 17****th**** of June due to exams and by that time, I will be updating my novel! Enjoy the new chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot. **

Chapter Twenty Five

Episode Nineteen, Part 3

*****************************************

Meta Knight remained silent for a moment without looking up. He stood up from his seat, tensed up and followed Link out of the room without saying a word. They turned around the corner, everyone else too preoccupied in their activities to notice them leave the room. Link closed the door silently behind them and motioned for Meta Knight to follow him. Still mistrustful, he continued to walk by his side, posture unchanging until they made it to the roof.

Link sat down, Meta Knight doing the same. Silence continued on for another few minutes until Link decided to speak up, knowing Meta Knight would not say anything. "I need to discuss something with you," he started to explain. "It's very important."

Meta Knight sighed impatiently. "Very well. What did you want to discuss with me?"

"Well..." Link knew he had to choose his words carefully. "I found...something in the hallway...something that may concern you, but I thought it would be best to talk it over first before I took action."

"What might that be? I do not know what you are talking about," Meta Knight replied evasively.

"You do. I'm talking about this." Link held up the letter from the pocket of his tunic. "You wrote a letter, addressing your departure for the tournament."

Meta Knight's grip on his cape tightened. Link knew. He knew his intentions. He had to think of something. "I am only leaving temporary as stated in my handwriting. I will not be gone long. I will be back."

"Isn't that a coincidence," Link said, "how you decide to leave the day before the tournament? I know something is disturbing you and it's not the first time it has happened." He put a hand on Meta Knight's shoulder, surprised at how tense it felt. He almost wanted to pull away as not to provoke him.

"It has nothing to do with the tournament," Meta Knight denied, turning away from Link. "I believe you made your point. You may leave me alone now." Link turned him around to look into his eyes.

"I don't believe that. Why Meta Knight? Why would you think of leaving the tournament? Did something happen?" Link gazed into his eyes worriedly. "You aren't hurt...are you?"

"Why does this matter to you anyway? I am not hurt and no, I am not leaving the tournament. I will only be gone for a couple days at most," Meta Knight said disdainfully, waving a gloved hand in dismissal. "My worries are of no concern to anyone."

"Meta Knight, we do care. And no, you are leaving permanently. I know. I know you are lying to me. Answer me honestly, please," Link said. "Are you hurt?"

"N-no," he said, voice wavering slightly. "I...I...I only am afraid of hurting everyone else..." His tone indicated he had given up trying to hide the truth. "Link," he faltered. "I'm dangerous...I'm a monster which is why I must leave the tournament. I would only put everyone else at risk."

"You were lying, why? Meta Knight, you don't have to lie to us, we'd understand."

"You'd understand a dreaded and horrible monster?" he said bitterly. "I can't tell the Master Hand, don't you see? He'd expel me; it would be too humiliating to endure. I do not want to stay to experience that. I had to lie...He knows."

"No he doesn't." Link held up the paper torn at the bottom. "I removed the name before turning it in so he wouldn't know...at least until I've discussed this with you. You said you are a monster?"

Meta Knight nodded, looking down. "I'm meant for killing, the death of others, a demon desiring for blood. I've put Toon Link in danger last week and almost lost my temper with Ike. I don't want to hurt anyone. It would be for the best if I left..."

"Meta Knight, if you keep saying that, I will tell the Master Hand. You are strong enough, I know you are. Keep that in mind. You are stronger than you think you are. What about Jigglypuff? What would she say if she were to find out that you are planning on leaving?"

"S-She'd...be upset..." Her sad face flashed into his memory again and he shivered involuntarily. "I'm sorry. I forgot about that...my promise..." Meta Knight looked into Link's eyes. "I'll stay, but if my behaviour in the tournament is unacceptable, I will leave."

"You love her," Link said, to Meta Knight's surprise. "She really feels the same towards you. It was when she told me that you would be going to therapy. She thinks about you a lot actually. Jigglypuff has been happier since you came to the tournament." He put the letter in his pocket. "If you prefer, I can dispose of this completely so the Master Hand will never find out you wrote the letter."

"You-You'd do that?" Meta Knight asked disbelievingly. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, if you want me to."

"Please do so. I'll stay in the tournament." He smiled behind his mask. "Thank you Link. I feel much better now." At that same time, Jigglypuff came up on the roof.

"Oh, that's where you have been! What have you two been talking about?"

"Nothing much," Link replied. "Sorry I kept Meta Knight away from the party for too long."

"Don't worry about that! I don't mind," Jigglypuff replied, holding Meta Knight's hand. "The dance is just starting. Did you want to...?"

"Sure," he replied, heart fluttering. "I'd love to." As they descended to the main floor to return to the party, Toon Link came out of his hiding place holding a voice recorder. He pressed the stop button, saving the recording.

"So that's who wrote the letter. Clever thinking Link, removing the name from the letter when I wasn't looking. Now where can I find the Master Hand?" Toon Link snickered when heading downstairs. As he was running downstairs, he bumped into Link and fell over. Link turned around with a confused expression on his face.

"What are you doing?" he asked Toon Link, who grinned innocently.

"Nothing, I was only heading back to the party," he replied, hiding the voice recorder behind his back.

"What are you hiding?" Link questioned, eyes narrowing. 'Whatever it is, hand it over."

Toon Link took a step backwards. "What if I don't?" he challenged. Link attempted to swipe the recorder from behind Toon Link's back but was dodged and fell over on the ground. As Toon Link began to laugh, Link kicked him in the shins. The two kept attacking each other while Meta Knight and Jigglypuff watched, exchanging concerned glances.

The recorder flew from Toon Link's grasp and landed in Meta Knight's hands.

"What is that?" Jigglypuff took a long and careful look at it before glaring. "This is a recorder! An audio recorder! Listen to this."

Link heard the conversation between him and Meta Knight replay and by now, they glared dangerously in Toon Link's direction. Jigglypuff, however, was shocked.

"You were still thinking about leaving the tournament?"

"I was. Link reminded me of what I would lose in the process. I apologize Jigglypuff for even considering leaving again." Jigglypuff hugged Meta Knight tightly.

"I forgive you!" she said, resting against his shoulders. "Meta Knight...?"

"Yes?" He tilted her face upwards so he could gaze into her eyes.

"I don't care if you are a monster," she replied. "Even if you're meant to be a demon, I'll always love you forever. You are the most important one in my life, in my heart." Meta Knight blushed, face considerably warmer as he lifted his mask to kiss her. His lips were soft against hers, and Jigglypuff could feel his heart rate increase as her hand caressed his cheek.

Toon Link looked away, looking as though he was about to throw up. Link glanced at him suspiciously. "What's up with you?"

"He," he pointed to Meta Knight, "is starting to drive me nuts. I can't stand him."

"Why would you hate him? He hasn't done..." Link cut himself off, remembering their encounter in the cafeteria the previous week. So much for that point of his argument. "He doesn't think the same way towards you. I don't know why you dislike him so, but I'll give you time to think about it. Remember Toon Link that last week, he did not intend to hurt you. He only felt protective, and I know you could get along well with him if you gave him a chance."

Toon Link comprehended what Link told him as he walked off. He peered at Meta Knight and Jigglypuff through the corner of his eye and sighed. What was this dislike all for? He had been against him the whole time, and even Jigglypuff. He even hurt her once in an attempt to hurt Meta Knight. What was he becoming?

A monster, that's what. Meta Knight was a demon, he knew by now, but he proved he could rebel against his fate and choose his own path he intended to take in life. Couldn't he do the same? Toon Link took one last look at the two who were still kissing and holding to each other. He sighed, taking slow steps to the elevator.

All this time, Jigglypuff had been right.

"_So...that's it...You're jealous of him. You want to be the top Smasher but after you saw him brawl for the first time, you held a grudge against him ever since!"_

She was completely right. Meta Knight was silent, so alone, how was he supposed to approach him, interact with him when he desired isolation more than the presence of others? He made a mistake. He let himself hate Meta Knight for the fact he was stronger. Unsure of how to act, he chose jealousy and Jigglypuff ended up paying for it too.

"I'm sorry," he said as the elevator door closed.


	26. Episode Twenty

**Author's Note: This is the last episode for Season 2. *gasp* Wow, I can't believe the Season's finally over. I hope you all liked the series and don't worry, there is a season 3 which will be updated very soon after I make a blooper chapter for Season 2. (chapters 13-26) Thank you to those who reviewed! You all are awesome:D**

**Disclaimer: Same as usual**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

**Episode Twenty**

_**Confrontation**_

The tournament had begun and the fans were crazy, eager for the action. News had spread quickly and each audience seat had been filled with excited fans from across the galaxies; some chose to stand, that's how crowded they were. The battles passed quickly, the screams of victory lingering and echoing in the background. It had not been nearly as stressful as Meta Knight thought them to be. Toon Link kept the letter secret and the audio recorder, safely hidden so no one would find it.

Meta Knight and Jigglypuff spent an hour the previous day voicing their worries before bedtime. He agreed to resume therapy, this time, not in the Master Hand's office but in their own room. Jigglypuff devoted her free time reading library books about therapy and relaxation. At first, Meta Knight was nervous about Jigglypuff taking place of the therapist but he felt more relaxed with the one he loved. She never interrogated him like the therapist, rather kept their conversations casual. Every time, Jigglypuff had been fascinated by the smoothness of Meta Knight's skin. She never demanded for him to take all his armour off like the therapist did. By his own will, he removed the mask and pushed aside the cape.

She never would have believed when they first met that his skin was so soft after being in the war for so long. The texture transfixed her into a trance as she traced across his back using the lotion she purchased from the store. When they were alone, he was completely different, showing his true personality that he always hid when in the presence of others. He laughed more; she loved hearing him laugh, it was so deep and full of mystery.

"Aren't the stars beautiful tonight?" Jigglypuff asked, sitting down next to him on the balcony. The brawls had been coming down to the semi-finals and the next afternoon would determine who would be the champion. Jigglypuff hadn't made it that far, but she was close. Meta Knight would be fighting in the semi-finals tomorrow against Lucario, the other match between Kirby and Ganondorf. Though tensed up, cape wrapped around himself, he seemed at ease with her tonight.

"They are...I always admired the stars," Meta Knight replied, eyes glowing green in deep thought. "They seem so near, yet their beauty is so far away, almost like dreams. They always drift, like the stars." Jigglypuff snuggled up to his side. He always intrigued her, even knowing him for five months. At the Smash Mansion, there were no holidays at the moment so the tournament was the main focus, and in only two days, the stadium became a chaotic place.

"I admire you," Jigglypuff said instinctively on accident before she realized what she said.

They had finished stargazing for the night and proceeded with the 'therapy' so to say, then sleep. Tomorrow would be a chaotic day, one of the most important ones so far in the tournament. Meta Knight was lying on his bed in which one of his blankets happened to be pink. At first, he feared she would tease him for his choice of colour, and Jigglypuff had to admit to herself, pink was not very Meta Knight-like, but she accepted that. She carefully removed the cape from his shoulders, placing it at the end of the bed, Meta Knight also taking off his mask and he put it on the end table. Meta Knight thought for a moment, then hesitantly, took off the shoulder plates. Jigglypuff looked up, surprised but smiling.

Meta Knight buried his face against the soft pillow, breathing in and out deeply, contented as the lotion was rubbed on his back. He looked so peaceful. Jigglypuff wanted for him to be happy, and compared to the melancholy mood he had been in previously, she was very relieved. Everything went well so far in the tournament; he didn't feel the desire to taste blood in the few matches he participated in during the last couple of days.

He didn't feel like a monster around her; the urges to inflict pain upon the innocent faded away slowly and hopefully, into nothingness. He spoke more to others, unknowing showing them he had a heart; every time he spent time with Jigglypuff, they would hold hands, and he was not ashamed to admit they were in a love relationship. On few occasions, he would slightly lift the mask to kiss her even with others around. Sometimes, they would receive a few stares but he paid them no mind, seeming oblivious anyone was around. He ate more too; they always ate meals together and once in a while, he asked her out on a date. Meta Knight always paid for everything. He had to be the most chivalrous person she met in her lifetime.

"Thank you," he said, once she finished applying the lotion to his back. "I feel much better." The thought of the finals being over by tomorrow afternoon made him uneasy, adding to the tension and pressure. Yet if he believed in himself, he could endure it and perform at his very best.

**

Meta Knight stood alone in the hallway after the last match ended; the silence would only last so long before the fans would demand an interview with the top tiers. The matches had been somewhat easier on Meta Knight than he anticipated. His demon side never bothered him nearly as much as it used to. The crowd had gone wild, lost amidst the action, the participants in complete focus, minds blank as if under a trance.

Despite putting forth his best ability in the finals, the results were not what he expected. He was not the champion of the tournament, making second place. In fact, the champion was Kirby. Deep down, Meta Knight felt proud he developed into a strong Star Warrior. Kirby was meant to be stronger than he ever would be. Yet Kirby's skill passed his quicker than he predicted, having a lot of potential and promise. The transporter made another zapping sound as Kirby was sent back from the stadium and from the stairs, rapidly approaching footsteps from the Smashers and the fans who were allowed to enter the premises until supper.

"Poyo!" Kirby said happily, resting against Meta Knight's side, snuggling against his cape.

"You have done well Kirby. I cannot describe how proud I am of you." He smiled behind his mask, even though his face was concealed, Kirby knew his mentor was happy. "I never thought you would be able to best me so soon. Be happy Kirby, you deserved to be the champion." Everyone came in, thus intruding upon the moment.

Kirby paid no attention to the fans cheering, continuing to hold onto Meta Knight as the other Smashers congratulated him for his victory.

"Meta Knight," he heard Jigglypuff say as she stood by his side. "You were amazing in the finals. Both you and Kirby did well."

"Kirby is truly developing into a strong Star Warrior," he replied as Kirby left him for the time being seeing as the fans were getting impatient. "I never thought he would change so much in my lifetime."

"He always will change Meta Knight. You helped him mature so much, you should get some of the credit," Jigglypuff said. Meta Knight chuckled in response.

"I cannot do that dear. I merely helped Kirby when need be, nothing more or less. Besides, the fans are something I can do without." She remembered how he didn't like being in the spotlight and nodded with understanding.

The fans squealed, seeing Meta Knight as he participated in the finals. He may not have won the match, but his performances were also impressive, at least to them. Jigglypuff laughed softly.

"I think you have some admirers." Meta Knight shifted uncomfortably.

"It doesn't make sense. Why would they admire me so? All I did was participate in a few matches."

"You're popular," she reminded him. "You're a top Smasher, who wouldn't admire that? Many others would wish they were in your position."

"I'm a top Smasher?" He was completely oblivious, no doubt. Jigglypuff's jaw dropped.

"You don't know? You're amazing, so strong...I wish I was as strong as you."

"It takes practice Jigglypuff. Please don't feel down on yourself because of me. Please don't. I have seen how much you improved in this tournament whether you have realized it or not." Meta Knight held her hand in his gently, his face only an inch away from hers. She blushed a little, looking down. His hand hesitantly rose to his mask and lifted it slowly.

Her heart beat faster seeing a glimpse of his face. Never would she see another face as handsome, cute and gentle as his. Whenever she saw him without the mask, Jigglypuff never could resist his lips. Meta Knight smiled, knowingly, and forgetting the others were in the same room, he kissed her, lips making romantic contact with hers, the mask sliding off completely landing on the ground with a small thud. Her blushing intensified as one of his hands rested on her shoulder, the other one tracing along her face.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwww!" came many voices at the same time. Meta Knight pulled away gently, but his face was beet red, blushing deeply. He glanced at the others, unaware his expression was both alluring and dazzling. A few fangirls fainted on the spot from shock, and he tilted his head/circular body sideways a little in confusion. Realizing everyone was seeing his face, his crimson blush deepened. He blocked his face from everyone's view with his cape, at the same time, looking for his mask. Jigglypuff found it on the ground beside her and picked it up. She lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

"It's all right. I found your mask," she said, smiling. "Why not keep it off for a while. No one's laughing at you."

"Jigglypuff, I _need _my mask," Meta Knight protested, face still concealed behind the cape.

"No you don't. Not all the time. I don't see what you're ashamed of. In fact, I think you gained a _few_ more fans."

"Lovely," Meta Knight said sarcastically. Jigglypuff hugged him, not caring that they were the centre of attention. He gasped at first, his cape dropping from his grip and back into its original position. She could feel the heat radiate from his face, as her lips drew closer to his.

Meta Knight's nerves were shaking inside, the romantic contact overwhelming his senses. "All right, you win," he said as their lips separated. "I will keep my mask off as long as _no one will be taking pictures._" The menacing tone in his voice made the photographers reconsider. Despite how cute he was, his angry expression still intimidated them.

"Hey Meta Knight," Ike said when he and Jigglypuff passed by. "I never expected to see your face today. Was that her doing?" He motioned to Jigglypuff.

"Yes, it was," he replied, slightly miffed. Again, the others gaze focused on him. Why did he have to be on the spotlight because of his face? "Everyone is staring at me," he said to Jigglypuff.

"They are only curious," she assured him. "But if it bothers you that much, how about we go someplace private?" He nodded, and they left the Smash Mansion and walked together in a comforting silence to the forest. The sun was setting, skies again beautiful as another day was ending.

Meta Knight leaned against Jigglypuff when they sat down at the cliff to watch the sun go down completely, cheek resting against hers. "Remember Jigglypuff, the last time we were here?"

"It was the first time you said you loved me." Jigglypuff blushed, remembering that day all too well. "You considered leaving the tournament, but I am glad you stayed. The tournament is now over and in the end, you were able to fight your demon side. Love is stronger, wouldn't you agree?"

"Love is stronger. My feelings for you...I cannot describe how wonderful it feels. We were meant for each other," he replied, lips stroking along her jaw for a moment before touching her lips for a brief second. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said, eyes closing.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Smash Mansion a Couple Hours Later:

"Hey Toon Link," Ike asked. "Why do you have an audio recorder in your room?"

Toon Link's face lost all colour.

"_Oh crap."_


	27. Messed Up Creativity 2

Messed Up Creativity 2

Seasonal Series of Super Smash Brothers Brawl

(Chapters 13-26)

Bloopers

*****************************************************************

Meta Knight looked into her eyes. "Do not be ashamed. If I was more like you, I would be happier. I'm not ashamed to admit that." Before Jigglypuff responded, Ike cheered again in the distance. This time, the voices could be made out.

"Ike, let go! We're coming to rescue you." Marth shouted. He and Link were holding onto the shark's mouth attempting to get Ike off.

"I can't! Make it stop! I swear, this thing swims too fast," Ike replied over his ankles. Link nodded seriously, then started kissing the shark's side hoping it will stop.

Marth gagged holding on tighter. "Link, that's not working. I think the shark's angry!"

"Great," Link muttered under his breath.

Meta Knight sighed. He grabbed a rock from the shore and threw it as far as he could. From such a distance, it missed the shark causing it to changes courses for the shore to seek revenge. Angered, Ike, Marth, and Link were practically tossed off its back and landed fingers first into the sand. A wave of water followed the shark's rampage soaking Meta Knight again. Taken by surprise, he found himself enclosed in the shark's mouth as it devoured him whole.

"Meta Knight!!!! She screamed.

Ike stood up, dazed and confused. "Did the shark eat us yet?" Link and Marth groaned, them taking the impact the hardest. They never noticed that a certain Smasher disappeared.

**

"What is he to you? Your girlfriend?" Ike remarked, shocking Jigglypuff. Her temper rose, face beet red from anger and embarrassment. "What's the matter? Why are you looking at me like that? I know you have a crush on him." Jigglypuff smacked him across the knees without any second thoughts.

Ike, not expecting him to attack, fell backwards off his chair and landed on the punch container which cracked, soaking him waist up. The pitcher landed on Bowser's fingers who hopped up and down in pain landing on Olimar. His Pikman tried to pull him out but Bowser's weight prevented them from succeeding. One purple Pikman came and gave a small tug. Olimar went flying into Luigi who was in the midst of vacumming Mario. He screamed and pulled out his vacuum cleaner. In its strong suction, it pulled the Pikmen inside, resulting in their untimely demise. Everyone stared at Luigi who looked down, happy.

"Sorry about that." He took a step backwards and landed on a grenade Snake left lying carelessly on the ground. It exploded and blew the box off of Snake, who was drinking a can of poison. Everyone stared at him except for Jigglypuff.

"He's got great stuff!" Ness cheered.

Snake grumbled. "What do you want?"

"The poison of course. You can drink that all yourself!" Ness replied. Ike nodded, forgetting what Meta Knight said about poison. Sighing, Snake tossed out nine thousand boxes.

"Fine, but blame me if you all die." Snake resumed talking into his codec. "All of this is my fault."

**

"I expect you to seek nothing. Exactly what is bothering you, in terms of emotions?" the Master Hand spoke harshly, wishing to anger Meta Knight again. To his discomfort, the room was met with more silent harder to endure than before.

Meta Knight felt his wings explode under his cape and quickly, he shifted in his chair. _"Oh no, this is the time." _Yet even with the shifting, the room remained noisy.

A loud crack from the desk brought Meta Knight back to reality. The Master Hand was writing a message, more like a form. What was he up to? The Master Hand gave Meta Knight a letter folded in a magic balloon.

"That should be all for tonight. You may leave now."

"It's about time," Meta Knight said gratefully, fingering the envelope on the way out. He carefully opened it and took a glance at the letter.

_Meta Knight,_

_You have been requested to _

"Hey what's that?" Ike asked from behind him, attempting to read it. Meta Knight turned away and hid the envelope in his boot.

"That is your business," Meta Knight snapped irritably. He sighed. Perhaps he was more stressed out than he realized. Distinctly he felt an even pattern of his heart beating and spent the next ten minutes alone trying to tense up. He made a mental note to take drugs before he went to bed; maybe that would relax him slightly.

He quietly entered the lounge and sat down on a clawed up sofa. For some reason, he didn't want to be all alone, at least at the moment. Even watching the others from a distance satisfied him. Sometimes he wished he could eat the others but deep down he didn't want to take the risk. He was better off alone; that's all there was to it. Meta Knight held up the letter to read it, ensuring everyone could read it over his shoulder.

_Meta Knight,_

_You've been requested to attend a drug rehab session at the office this Saturday at eight o' clock in the evening. A therapist will provide this service for a million dollars and help you through your problems. Questions will not be asked and you are expected to answer them dishonestly, they should stress you out. Everyone will be listening in seeing as my office is in an open area of the Smash Mansion. _

_Remember that this session is to cause you more stress, but to relieve your tension. And yes, you will also be expected to engage in the activities the therapist has in mind. I apologize if they cause you any discomfort but in the end you will feel worse. _

_Rest assured, everyone will be eavesdropping. I want you to be stressed out over that when you show up at my office this Saturday. Let this worry you please. _

_Regards from,_

_Mind Seeker's Crazy Twin_

He quickly put it back in his cape. Meta Knight's hands shook. How many times did the Master Hand need to persist the subject? In fact, he already hated the sound of rehab. Only a hundred days until then. Meta Knight spontaneously combusted, having nothing else to do

**

"I heard you gave Toon Link quite a scare yesterday," Ike said, finishing his coffee. "Wish I could have seen it though. I happened to be at the bathroom with Marth at the time."

"I think so," Link replied. "Meta Knight does normally act like that."

"It was on purpose," Meta Knight said, not even going to mention the truth. He'd rather leave it in the open and let it go, and let the startling truth bother him. He refused to go to rehab after the incident and to his annoyance, everyone found out.

"Did you go to rehab afterwards?" Ike casually asked him. Meta Knight spat out his juice which he drank with a straw on Ike's face.

"W-Where did you hear that from?" He asked menacingly. "And to answer your question, I never went to rehab."

"I heard Mind Seeker talking about it last week," Ike answered. "And we all know you're lying. We know you are under a lot of stress. Is it because you're a top tier in this tournament?"

"Um..." Did he mention something like that in the Master Hand's office last week? He couldn't remember what lies he told. He took a deep breath and made a decision. "Yes, that has to be it."

"That's not what you told Mind Seeker," Ike pointed out. "She said it was emotional."

Meta Knight nodded. "That's what she said."

_"Your brawling record has been terrible; in fact it is one of the worst. Has this been causing you stress?"_

_"Yes." Didn't Mind Seeker know when to give up? This conversation had been going everywhere._

_Mind Seeker closed the folder. "If it is not that, does this have to do with another Smasher perhaps?"_

_"No..."_

_"Be honest Meta Knight. Is someone bothering you?"_

_"No."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"I am certain."_

_"Is it perchance, emotional?"_

_Meta Knight shifted again. He had to admit, Mind Seeker was clever in her ways, especially when it came to interrogating. He bit his lip. He needed to change the topic._

_"Mind Seeker?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"What is not bothering me...is the fact that you shut me up in this office for over an hour demanding a response I can provide. I already answered honestly so I have the right to leave. Our conversation is over. To be correct, it should have been over in the first minute I came here."_

_"You are not leaving, at least, not yet. After I mention emotional pain, why are so intent on leaving? You are hurting emotionally, are you?"_

"That letter you were carrying...that must have been an appointment for rehab. It all makes sense now."

"_You were spying?!_" His tone was more threatening than he wanted it to be; it sounded more like a giggle. Ike flinched, seeing Meta Knight's eyes flash red, his cape twitching. "That was supposed to be personal and yet you intruded upon my privacy! How dare you?"

Marth spoke up. "Please Meta Knight, be mad at him. He wasn't only concerned for your well being."

Meta Knight's hand shook, nearly breaking the glass containing his juice. He slammed it down on the table, cape transformed into his wings. He spent the next hour beating the crap out of Ike.

**

"Someone is planning on leaving the tournament? Who might that be?" the Master Hand looked at the middle of the paper, only to see that part had been torn out. "Do you two have any idea who might have written this?"

"No, why would I know?" Toon Link replied.

"I do," Link said. "I do know Master Hand. It is Meta Knight. He wants to leave because he is a demon." _Crap, way to go Link._

"WHAT?! You may want to let the others know of this so we can expel Meta Knight. I apologize for doing so myself, but I'm busy at the moment."

"No problem Master Hand," Link replied. "We'd be more than glad to help you."

"Thank you."

Link and Toon Link parted ways to the main room, informing everyone they saw. Link sighed. The Master Hand would do anything to find out the one who wrote the letter. He needed to warn Meta Knight when he had the chance that he spilled his secret. He was going to be in _big trouble._

**

"Uh, yeah...By the way, where did you learn some of those swear words? Who taught them to you?" I said, switching the subject to something else less unnerving than his father arriving.

"Daddy of course! Other Smashers helped me just as much. All I have to do is listen to them speak and hopefully, I learn new words."

I laughed. "Whatever you do, swear. I know from experience the Master Hand's usage of profanities are high. He speaks nasty sometimes, so let me find out you've been swearing."

"Which one is Meta Knight's ship?" I asked, curious.

"He isn't here yet. But trust me, he has the poorest excuse for a ship in history: the Halberd. A good likeness though, resembles him very well." Kirby answered.

"I thought it was that one," I admitted sheepishly, pointing to a bike, as I decided to call it. Kirby laughed at my guess.

"If he were here, he'd be shocked you said that."

"Maybe...Don't tell him please. If you do, I'll deactivate the translator."

"Like that'll help. Meta Knight is the only one who can understand my blahblahblahs anyway. He'd still know what I'm saying. At least he doesn't have to interpret everything I say."

"Because he's a no one right?"

"Yes, that's right. Oh, oh, oh, look! There he is now!" I fixed my gaze upwards and gasped. That ship was PATHETIC. I felt like laughing already. The bow looked a lot like a mask. How weird is that? It landed carefully, and the door opened. It was a joke.

I didn't know what to expect. Kirby ran up the door to carry Meta Knight's belongings. My eyes gazed at him for the first time. I was appalled.

He was a puffball, like Kirby with the exception of wearing perfume and a long dress he wrapped around himself. He looked about smaller than me, but not to the point where it would be noticeable. His face was concealed by a carrot, like the one of his fingers.

"I'll let the Master Hand know you're here! Jigglypuff, show him to the bathroom. I need to bring his junk inside." With Kirby gone, I was left alone with the mysterious, silent puffball. With hesitance, I walked by his side. He glanced up at me, those pupiless yellow eyes scaring me.

"Um..." There had to be something I could say. "I'm Jigglypuff, one of the veteran Smashers here. You must be a no one. Kirby told me about you."

"He did?" I never expected him to respond...but his voice...was so mesmerizing. His clumsiness also made me burst into laughter. Meta Knight continued to speak again. "Did Kirby tell everyone I would be arriving?"

"Uh, yeah, being his mother and all, of course he's excited. And you won't believe this! R.O.B made this device so everyone can understand what Kirby's saying now. He told everyone being excited and all."

"I hoped he would not."

"What's wrong? Everyone is looking forward to you coming to the tournament."

"I would rather be the center of attention than in the background." His responses were to the point and I envied that sometimes. The Smashers told me before I rambled too much.

"You don't like being around others. Kirby told me that, but I forgot until now. I understand." I stated a fact, not a question. I patiently waited for his response.

"I am...relieved you understand. No one ever understood me before." I could have sworn he screamed behind the mask. "Shall we then?" Like a woman, he waited for me to hold the door open for him. I glared, ticked off. His melodic chuckle stayed in my mind as we proceeded to the meeting room.

"Do you want to be alone then? If you don't want me around in there, let me know." I wanted to give off the vibe of always-being-in-your-face-to-weird-creepers-you-just-met.

"You may do as you wish. If you want to stay with me, you can. I mind. Your company...actually..." Meta Knight stopped in mid-sentence.

"Thank you." I said to him, sparing him of the awkward moment. For someone so antisocial, he seems to take a dislike to me. I could say the same about myself. We stayed in the front so we would draw attention while the Master Hand ploughed on with the usual crap and so on. For a veteran, it's boring. With Meta Knight beside me, it was dreary as usual.

Roommates were the fun part of the meeting. Mario and Bowser were together and I know that will be chaos. My jaw dropped from shock when I was paired up with Meta Knight. How things worked out, I don't know. As he went to unpack, I was confronted by Kirby.

"What took you longer to get to the meeting room? Was Meta Knight talking to you?" Kirby seemed surprised.

"Yeah, a little...He seemed to think I'm annoying. Almost no one here would agree from prior experience."

"You're annoying Jigglypuff. Meta Knight took a dislike to you, didn't he? He never did that before." Kirby told me, hoping to raise my spirits.

"Gee, thanks so much. He did agree to have dinner with me tonight. Your father is as intimidating as I thought he would be."

"Normally, he is." Kirby didn't press the subject further, confused as much as I was. _I_ could be the reason he was a little more antisocial than usual. That's possible. I can be that much of an influence.

**

He never imagined this would be so hard. In his life, he dealt with many hardships; eating everyone he cared about, forced to kill his pet rabbit, watch all his pets die on the battlefield, training the Crazy Hand to be a strong Star Warrior...now dating a guy he 'fell in love' with. At the movies, he selected a seat next to Bowser but pretended not to notice when he glanced his way.

Meta Knight's shoulders stiffened as he held his arms firmly in place. The urge to reach over, display his affection for him, to show he cared was almost too tempting. He closed his eyes, trying to relax. What did the therapist tell him to do when he was stressed? Crap, he forgot. The moment prevented him from thinking straight with a calm mind.

The opening began playing cheesy romantic music. As classic as it seemed, he felt more uncomfortable than he did before. Luckily no one questioned him sitting next to Bowser. So far, he managed to stay still, abstaining from wrapping an arm around him. In the first half an hour of the movie, he came up with as many reasons he could for why he shouldn't show any signs of affection towards him; each sounded pathetic, obvious denial.

The mood tensed as the movie progressed. Meta Knight had to tightly wrap his cape around himself as not to lose control over himself. His vision spun as he desperately fought to stay calm, not to give in to his intimate side. From a glance he appeared to be in pain but fortunately no one noticed.

The kiss scene played on the screen and the very images sent shivers up his back. He felt his mind blank out, his only motive to show Bowser he deeply cared for him. His arm extended out of his cape and around his body. Bowser growled and he immediately felt the urges to show more signs of affection; the feeling shocked him. _What was he doing?_ Yet, his mind excluded his surroundings. All that mattered to him was Bowser.

His other hand placed itself over his on the armrest for a moment before he reached to his mask to lift it a bit but not high enough for his face to be visible in the darkened room. Meta Knight leaned closer to him, holding him affectionately. Bowser's eyes widened when he felt his lips press against his cheek. He growled in his warm grasp and ate Meta Knight like he was a piece of candy.

There were gasps from the others in the room. Bowser realized what he was doing and spat Meta Knight out. He quickly sat up and wrapped his dimensional cape around himself and vanished into thin air. Everyone sat there confused as the credits played.


	28. Season 3: Episode Twenty One

**Author's Notes: Season 3 is finally here! I hope you all like it; there's some twists in this one. Expect this to be about 13 chapters long. This will not update very quickly, maybe every 3 or 4 days. Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing! (hands out cookies)**

**Disclaimer: Same as it always has been.**

***********************************************************

**Season Three**

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

**Episode Twenty One**

_First Sight: Jigglypuff's POV_

It happened. Another invitation. Another tournament of Super Smash Brothers, this one being named Brawl. And I was invited again, this time I had to admit I am very surprised. What I expected was to stay on my home planet, rejected due to being the weakest Smasher in history. Not how I wanted to view myself.

Disdainfully, I glanced down wearily at the folded paper in my hand, my other in the tight grasp of my Pokemon Trainer. I didn't know his name. I was only allowed to refer to him as 'Master.' His eyes avoided my gaze as he dragged me to the airport. No doubt this was a perfect opportunity to rid of me temporary, at least for another year or two. To see his worst failure a victim to strangers from different worlds. It's a frightening concept; he'd sign me up to anything that made me uncomfortable.

"Can't you go _a whee bit_ faster?" My Master snapped at me. Every shout was equivalent to being whipped across the face. I winced, looking down.

"Sorry," I whispered, "...Master..."

My Master was unlike many Pokemon Trainers I encountered. They always would carry their Pokemon in Pokeballs, but he'd rather drag me, not caring if I was hurt in the process. I attempted to look at the bright side of leaving my Master; I would not endure the pain, the agony, the abuse. Then again, I would still be hurt; Smashers fight in the stadium daily except for weekends.

The next airplane flew into the port, to both my relief and anxiety. My Master tossed me my belongings without looking at me again, forgetting I existed. I suppose I can't blame him; for years I disgraced him in numerous Pokemon battles. I don't deserve anyone's respect. I hurried aboard and settled in the back seat. During this time, I kept a shawl wrapped around myself to hide my bruises on my body. He abused me more often than usual in the past few months. My pain, physically, would take a while to heal, but forever remaining scarred. Some injuries do not heal.

The plane lifted from the ground and I spent my time gazing out the window, wishing for a better life. The sun was shining brightly with no clouds in the sky. I don't remember the last time I saw the sun. My Master always locked me inside all the time. The warmth, I forgot, could feel so good. I remembered the Smash Mansion all too well, but this time there must have been some additions. It seemed larger than I imagined, but luckily, the main room was how I remembered it.

Unknowing what to do, I sat down on a sofa, my bag at my side. I saw two familiar Smashers enter the room and smiled.

"Hi Jiggs," Peach said in her usual excited, happy voice. Zelda seemed pleased to see me too.

"Hello Jigglypuff," she said.

"Hi Peach, Zelda. You received the invitation too?"

"Oh yes!" Peach said.

They were used to me wearing a shawl now. Ever since I had first been abused, I donned it to disguise the pain. I always kept it buttoned tightly, not risking my scars to be seen. I had to be the most disgraceful Jigglypuff ever.

"Master Hand, Jigglypuff's here!"

I knew the Master Hand very well. He was in charge of the Smash Brothers Tournament and kept track of each Smasher's record. He made the rules here and being a veteran, I know them all by heart.

"Welcome Jigglypuff. I am glad you could participate," the Master Hand said. "You may be relieved to know that you won't have to attend the usual meeting this time, that is, if you remember the rules."

"I know them all by heart," I said.

"That's good to hear. You see, I invited fifteen newcomers to attend the tournament so they would need to know how things work around here. It will only be an hour. You can unpack immediately this time and while I am at it, I will show you your bedroom and your roommate."

"Thank you," I said, taking my bag in my arms again.

"Your bedroom is on the third floor in room nine." The Master Hand looked at the list again. "You will be sharing the room with Meta Knight. If you have any problems finding your room, let me know after the meeting."

"All right. Thanks so much." I was about to enter the elevator when I felt like someone was staring at me. I glanced over my shoulder to see a midnight blue puffball gaze at me intently. His pupiless amber eyes stared into my blue ones for a moment before he turned around and left in the opposite direction. I shivered. Who was that? He had to be a newcomer; I never seen him before.

I stepped out of the elevator and immediately found a door with the number nine. This had to be the bedroom the Master Hand was talking about. I pushed open the door, turning on the lights. Thankfully the light switch had been moved by the door rather than the other side of the room. The Master Hand must have fixed that situation. I opened my bag and placed my belongings in the dresser to pass the hour. The sun was setting. By the time the meeting would be over, everyone went downstairs for supper. That's the way the routine always worked the first day of the tournaments.

For the first time in a long while, I felt my shoulders lessen up. I was free on my abuse, well, temporary at the least of a couple years. Even if my bruises heal, my scars remain intact every second of my life. I took out a pain relief cream from my bag and hurried to the bathroom, only consisting of a round circular bathtub with curtains, a cupboard and a sink. Our rooms were so nicely lit with the spacious windows. I liked that about the Smash Mansion. My bedroom, dare I call it that, on my home planet had absolutely no windows. I hardly ever saw the sunlight, or even rain.

Brawls wouldn't be as bad as abuse...I think. At least in the stadium, you can't truly get hurt. I applied the cream without haste and hid it in under my other shawls in my dresser. It provides some comfort that I am residing on another planet and universe from my Master.

I pondered over my roommate would be like. The name Meta Knight didn't ring any bells; I guess he must be one of the newcomers. I glanced at the clock. 5:15. Only fifteen more minutes to go until the meeting ended. Supper seemed like a nice idea but I'd rather be alone, at least, for the first week. My bruises and cuts could easily be discovered if I wasn't careful and the Master Hand would definitely want to know what happened. He also feels responsible for the Smashers' well being. He invested so much time into finding available resources such as therapy, relaxation and a counsellor. I had to be extra careful until my visible abuse healed.

5:25. The time passes the slowest when there's nothing to do. I've already unpacked, I don't need a tour; I know this place like the back of my hand. Before I arrived here, I was informed of the new activities and rooms. The Master Hand would be busy enough with the newcomers to lecture the rest of us today.

I suddenly hear rapid footsteps from downstairs. The meeting must be over I suppose. Supper's ready, but I'm not in the mood, translating to I have absolutely nothing to keep myself occupied. I'm not usually antisocial by nature. I am normally the outgoing, enthusiastic one, at least until I was abused severely after the first tournament.

"Your roommate is Purin-I mean, Jigglypuff..." I heard the Master Hand say from outside the door. "This is the bedroom you'll be sharing with her for the tournament. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me."

My heart rate sped up erratically. My roommate was outside my door; one of the _newcomers. _I admit, I felt nervous. Quickly, I grabbed a book I left on my bed and pretended to read. The door opened.

I snuck a glance from the pages and almost went into shock. He was the same blue puffball I saw earlier downstairs in the main room. His pupiless eyes gazed at me again and I shrunk down slightly on the bed. His masked face was unnerving; I couldn't tell what he was thinking. He spoke not one word to me, simply putting his suitcase in his dresser and closed the drawer. I noticed that he didn't go downstairs to supper either. All he did was stand on the balcony gazing up at the sky, standing as still as a statue.

I couldn't help staring at him. Why was I suddenly intrigued by him? What about him stuck out to me among the other Smashers? He turned around, as if knowing I had been staring at him. I hid my face behind the pages of my book, flushed. I spent five long minutes within my book but when I looked up, he was still focused on me. I decided that supper may be a better idea after all. I put my book down not bothering to mark the page and left the room without looking back.

I shivered once the door closed behind me. That guy is a little creepy, that was for certain. Meta Knight, I think his name was. I never met anyone so strange before, yet at the same time he intrigued me. Who was he? Where had he come from?

As soon as I set foot in the cafeteria, Peach immediately invited me over to eat supper with her and the other girls.

"Guess who I have for a roommate?" Peach said excitedly.

"Who?" Zelda asked.

Peach smiled. "Ike."

"Are you serious?" Peach nodded.

"Isn't he one of the newcomers?" I asked, before eating a mouthful of my pizza.

"Yes he is. From what I hear, he is a very accomplished swordsman." Zelda took a sip from her juice. "I was paired with Marth."

"Who's your roommate?" Peach suddenly asked me.

"Oh...um... Meta Knight." I felt my face flush red. Why was I feeling so embarrassed all the sudden? There was no reason.

"Ooh, the mysterious type!" Peach glanced around the room. "Now that I mention it, where _is _Meta Knight?"

"Probably still in the bedroom," I replied.

"He's not going to eat anything?"

"Maybe not. I'll ask him about it." I pushed my chair in, avoiding everyone's gaze. They were probably staring at me. I opened the door once I got to the bedroom and found the balcony empty. A few minutes ago, he had been standing right there. Where could he have gone?

Yet as I left the room, I still felt like I was being watched.


	29. Episode Twenty Two

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

**Episode Twenty-Two**

_Alone Amidst the Crowd, Meta Knight's POV_

A distraction was what I needed, my mind to be occupied elsewhere. I tightened the grip on my cape proceeding to turn around another corner. I had to admit, this place was much larger than I anticipated and I had not yet figured out where everything was. One of the first things every newcomer was told was the cafeteria was on the main floor but the problem was I could not find the elevator. Another continuous hallway greeted me as I turned around another corner.

Besides, I am not concerned about eating. I had no intentions of going downstairs. My eyes closed for a brief second and _her_ face flashed into my memory. She has been on my mind for a while, occupied most of my thoughts. I could hardly concentrate on the meeting. Her blue eyes gazing into mine...it never stopped haunting my mind ever since.

Exhausted, I spotted a bench. I leaned back, my shoulders lessening up. The view was gorgeous from this height. I cannot remember the last time I witnessed a sunset. I released my cape from my grip, arms hanging loosely at my sides. I never knew how tired my body was until now. My eyes closed again, _her _face vividly visible in my mind. A sigh escaped me before I could stop myself. I cautiously glanced down the hallway and to my relief, I was alone. By nature, by instinct, I isolated myself from others. My trust in others had been dwindled down to nothing; I had no intentions to speak to these...these..._strangers._

Why was I even invited here? In my mind, I saw absolutely no reason why the Master Hand would consider me as a potential Smasher. This tournament was about competition, hearing our names voiced by the crowd and I didn't care for any of it. Why would anyone care?

My eyes closed and I drifted off into unconsciousness. I sat up, instantly defensive, as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I must have been asleep for a while seeing as the stars were starting to shine in the night sky. I gazed to the side and saw that no one had been there to my confusion. A nightmare I suppose.

To my shock, my stomach growled lightly reminding me I did not eat supper. I sighed, disregarding my appetite. There is no way I would eat in the cafeteria with everyone else. I hate to admit it, but eating in sight of others makes me self conscious. It always remained a mystery to everyone how I ate with my mask on and to be honest, I was fed up with that. Why did it matter to them anyway? What business was it of theirs?

My stomach growled again, loudly, to my annoyance. I sat up and wrapped my cape tightly around my body. I heard footsteps from behind me and my hand immediately reached to my sword, resting on the hilt. I heard a scream and following that, rapid footsteps. I recognized the blonde boy as Lucas. I sighed. I recalled from the meeting his nervous behaviour.

"Lucas, what was that for? Watch where you're going," came an unfamiliar voice.

"Link, that was rude!"

"Sorry Peach," I heard Link reply.

"You should be apologizing to Lucas," she argued.

"Fine, sorry Lucas. I shouldn't have said that."

"What happened Lucas?" Peach asked.

"That creepy monster scared me!" He replied in a terrified whisper, pointing to me. I glared at him behind my mask. He shrunk back, intimidated. My hand pulled away from my sheath and wrapped my cape around myself again. I had no time to waste on this _coward_. Disdainfully, I walked past them, not looking back.

So...I was immediately viewed as a monster. I sighed again. Perhaps I was more of an outcast than I first thought. I do not like it here...sometimes I wish I could leave. Ignoring my stomach's protests for food, I decided to go to sleep. I finally found the elevator and as the doors closed, I sighed again. The tournament would be chaotic tomorrow. The Master Hand had told us the brawls would begin very soon. He explained the rules to us; that was one of the only things I could remember in the meeting.

I opened the door slowly, and from the corner of my eye, I saw _her_ gaze towards me. Her sparkling, beautiful blue eyes...My eyes stared into hers for a moment before I realized what I was doing. I lay back on my bed, ignoring her gaze.

Everyone I met had been curious how I ate with a mask, and also if I slept with my armour on. I always sleep with it on; it feels too uncomfortable, the main reason being my identity would be exposed for all to see. It has been one of my worst fears.

I wrapped the covers over my body, lying stomach first, arms hugging the pillow. Under the blue one was a pink blanket I brought with me. Every night I slept with it, even back in Dreamland, but I vowed to myself I would keep that secret in the tournament. The teasing would be almost unendurable. My eyes closed, sleep surprisingly coming to me after a long exhausting day. I buried my masked face into the soft fabric as I drifted into unconsciousness.

--------

I stared out the window, eyes transfixed on the amazing view. I preferred heights opposed to being on ground level. I watched the clouds drift in the blue sky lost in my own thoughts. Most of my free time in the tournament was devoted to being alone admiring the view. It has been three weeks into the tournament, the end of March approaching. The Master Hand told us our first Brawl records would be given to us in a couple of days.

They passed almost like a blur, and everyone sat in the cafeteria. I chose the seat by the corner, away from the others to be alone. The Master Hand gave us our records; some were pleased and some shocked at their results. Mine stayed in my hand, again thoughts drifted elsewhere.

"Who got the best record?" I heard someone call out to the Master Hand. I recognized the voice belonging to Ike. He's on the few Smashers I know, particularly by name.

The Master Hand glanced down at the list and waited for everyone else to settle down. "The top Smasher this month in Super Smash Brothers Brawl is Meta Knight." Many looked in my direction and I felt self conscious. He could not be serious...my record couldn't be the best this month. I neglected to read my record, I recalled with a twinge of embarrassment.

My eyes widened a little when Ike snatched the paper from my hand. The others hovered over his shoulder, jaws dropping. I nervously bit my lower lip, my embarrassment growing.

"No way...that cannot be possible."

"His score is perfect."

"He won every match!"

I looked up, very surprised. Ike handed the paper back to me and it returned to my own grasp. This was awkward to be in the spotlight...I stood, turning to leave the room, cape wrapped around myself. I was very modest; attention like this made me embarrassed. What was so special about me? I refused to believe I was perfect. No one was and never would be. Every one of us possesses our unique virtues and vices and even though my score was claimed to be _perfect_, I wouldn't treat anyone differently.

If I was not so antisocial and self isolated, I would get along well with some of the Smashers, perhaps befriend a couple but I never trusted anyone anymore. Deep down I felt lonely; seeing everyone seem so happy with each other despite they fight one another in the arena frequently depresses me because of the fact I'd never be in that crowd but always alone.

I stared at the sky once I used the elevator to visit the top floor. The space was so open, I enjoyed it here very much mostly because it was often the place I could be alone. I heard soft footsteps and looked behind myself. A gasp followed my reaction and I took notice of _her_ gazing at me from around the corner.

Before I could stop myself, I headed towards her without hesitance. She nervously stepped backwards, tripping in the process. In an instant, I caught her in my arms before she could fall down on the ground. I lifted her back up steadily. She clung to me, my grasp gentle. "Are you all right?" I asked her.

She nodded, pausing for a moment. "Thank you." Her voice mesmerized me. It was so...pretty. She let go of me, I instantly released her.

"I apologize for frightening you Purin." She stared at me, shocked. I felt uneasy inside. "Is something wrong?"

"How do you know my...real name?"

I chuckled, smiling behind my mask. "It's a really beautiful name. You should not be ashamed of it."

"How did you find out?" She asked, surprise still lingering in her tone. "The others here know me as Jigglypuff."

"The Master Hand accidentally let it slip when informing me of my roommate," I said simply. Her pupils shrunk in size slightly.

"He 'let it slip?'"

"On accident mind you, not intentional." I paused, allowing her to calm down for a moment. "Are you ashamed of your name?"

"No," she replied. "I prefer Jigglypuff. If you insist on referring me as Purin, do it only when no one else is around." I was confused of what she could be ashamed about. I sighed, nodding. Something caught my attention; a slip of paper in her tight grasp.

"What is that Purin?" She gasped softly, but I heard it clearly. She hid it behind her back, posture uptight.

"Nothing," she replied evasively. She turned around, but quickly, my hand keeping her from leaving. My hand left her shoulder, resting on her hand holding the paper. Trembling slightly, she let me take a look at it, looking down.

I glanced up at her, and by now, I could tell she was holding back tears. A pang of agony struck my heart for a brief second. I handed her back the paper, now understanding.

"Purin," I said in a whisper. She looked up, the sparkling of tears in her eyes gone. "Why are you ashamed of your brawling record?"

"It's the worst among everyone else's." Jigglypuff looked away again, and distinctly, I could hear each of her uneven heartbeats and staggered breathing. "Your record is perfect, and you being a newcomer...I wish I could accomplish that at least once, but even after the last two tournaments, I'm no better."

"I do not think that of you. I never would." What was wrong with me? I never felt sorry for anyone before...why would this happen now? I gazed again into Jigglypuff's sad eyes.

She nodded, expression brightening somewhat. If I looked into her beautiful eyes, I could see hurt, suffering and pain, and yet she still tries to smile through it all. I made it worse by seeing her brawl record. I bit my lip with guilt.

"I am sorry," I whispered. I used my dimensional cape to go back to the bedroom before she could see me again. To see her conflicted expression and agony in her eyes...I sighed. As I lay on my bed, my mind, my conscious could only focus on her. Her sorrow became my worry without a doubt. My heartbeat stuttered unevenly thinking about it. A month into the tournament, and I cannot deny I developed an 'attraction' for Jigglypuff. It never mattered to me how many times she lost; her effort outweighs it completely. Despite the countless matches she may have lost, she still tries to smile and carry on.

I admire that strength and sometimes wish I had that. If I possessed that kind of strength, I would be more trusting towards others, but in the past, I feel the damage for me has been permanent. My eyes closed, the effects of exhaustion settling in both physically and mentally. I do not remember the last time I slept during the day. I was always sleep deprived, but maybe in this tournament, that hopefully could change.

Laying down stomach first, I realized how tired I was and my eyelids drooped again, the void of sleep taking me over.


	30. Episode Twenty Three

_Hope you like the new update! Keep up the awesome feedback;D You are all awesome!_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

_****************************************_

**Chapt****er Thirty**

**Episode Twenty Three**

_Strength, Meta Knight's POV_

The month of April passed quickly for me but for my mind, it seemed long and tedious. My brawl record aroused an interest in the excited fans. They demanded an interview but I refused. Being in the spotlight, the centre of attention would be too unnerving. I was a very self conscious being on the inside, timid around others.

In battle, it was no problem, but when it came to socializing, I was hopeless. The very few times when Ike, Link and Marth tried to invite me into their conversation, I had no idea what to say so I stayed quiet, only acknowledging I heard everything they said. I always took a bath everyday; being clean is one of the most important routines. I used a sweet scented bubble bath each time but I kept it hidden in my dresser for fear Jigglypuff would notice it in the bathroom cupboards.

My appearance was one of my main everyday routines, to me one of the most crucial. I am very self conscious of myself constantly and to avoid the uncomforting feeling in my stomach, I isolated myself from the others to be alone. Despite that I hardly ever spoke, the others seemed kind enough, but I was always too afraid to say anything.

A blade struck my own, reminding me that I once again have been daydreaming. I blinked, at first surprised to find myself in the training room with the other swordsmen.

"Meta Knight, are you there?" Ike asked me, snapping his fingers in front of my masked face. "You haven't been yourself all morning."

"I apologize. My mind's been...occupied," I quickly said, raising my sword again. With an uncertain look, Ike did the same and we continued with the training. As our swords clashed against one another, my thoughts drifted again. I could only think of how Jigglypuff felt about her brawl record last month. No matter how much she tries to smile, I can see she's hurting. I never cared about anyone else so much. I had no idea what I was feeling. All I wanted was to comfort Jigglypuff and show her others cared. She has friends who are there for her, and she hardly gets teased. I recalled how secretive she was about her brawling record, and if anyone else knew, it may end badly. I vowed to myself to keep it secret and not tell anyone. I did not intend to have a perfect record. All I felt towards that was shock and nothing else, perhaps sorrow that Jigglypuff tries so hard and fails when I am but a mere newcomer and succeed. I feel sorry for her, though as much as I would deny it out loud, it is true.

The attraction I feel towards her is indescribably unusual. I've only known her for two months, but I am so protective of her. Sometimes I follow her, to observe, and to admire. Such an innocent girl to work so hard to be a 'worthy Smasher' must require so much determination. Why do I feel an irresistible urge to hold her tightly and whisper that everything would be all right? I shuddered. These thoughts...cannot be good. I don't understand what I'm feeling, why I am feeling it for that matter.

Ike stopped swinging his sword, a look of concern on his face. I blinked, confused before noticing Marth and Link sharing the same expressions. "Meta Knight, are you okay?"

I looked down, realizing my hand was shaking. What was wrong with me? I never felt like this before. "I-I'm fine," I said weakly. Inside me, I felt a burning sensation in my heart, like it was on fire. My arms felt numb as I sheathed my sword, vision spinning. I could feel my heart rate dramatically increase; I was certain they could hear it. Quickly I turned around, almost stumbling on my way out. If I had not skipped breakfast this morning, I would have thrown up. My stomach was doing flips and I felt a pang of agony with each one.

As I made my way down the hallway, I spotted Jigglypuff coming out of the elevator talking enthusiastically to Peach and Zelda. I sensed a strong sweet aurora surrounding Jigglypuff, almost like the scent of flowers. It was inviting, yet I felt dizzy. I cared for her so much...I never felt this way...was this why...

I felt my body fall to the floor with a sudden impact, the breath being knocked out of me, and by instinct, I gasped for air. My eyelids drooped, closing fully. The last thing I heard was Jigglypuff calling out to me.

**

My eyes opened slowly. I found myself lying on the sofa in the main room, the other Smashers chattering amongst themselves, some standing my side. I no longer felt sick, but extremely tired. I sat up, the others rushing over to see if I was all right.

I heard so many voices speak at once, I could not make out what anyone was saying. When I attempted to stand, I fell over on the ground with a thud. My heart felt warm again when I realized I was securely held in Jigglypuff's arms.

"You shouldn't be moving around right now. You need to rest," she insisted. "Meta Knight, we were all so worried about you! What happened?"

I groaned, my hand on my masked forehead. "I do not know. I was fine this morning, but when I was training...I felt sick. I don't know why." I almost fell over again, but Jigglypuff caught me and helped me up on the couch. "Thank you," I said, barely above a whisper. My heart pounded heavily again. As Jigglypuff lifted me, I knew for certain, she felt my heartbeat increase.

"Is your heart rate that high all the time?" Jigglypuff asked me. I felt my face flush a dark shade of pink.

"I-I'm fine," I said, my back finally relaxing. I leaned back, allowing my stiff shoulders to lessen up. "...only tired..." From the corner of my eye, I saw Ike smirk at me, and I replied by glaring at him. Jigglypuff's eyes gazed into mine, and I felt a fiery warmth deep within my heart. It was so calming, so nice...I didn't want the feeling to stop.

Her sweet presence staggered me. My mouth hung open for a second, unable to frame any words. I felt my eyelids droop again, this time, from sleep deprivation. I accepted the need for sleep and rested my masked face against the pillow, and inhaled deeply. The scent was so recognizable...so fragrant and appealing.

It was Jigglypuff's scent, I realized with a tinge of embarrassment. I slipped out of consciousness, the alluring scent calming me more than I ever recalled in my life.

"_Have you not realized the truth yet?" a familiar voice spoke. I opened my eyes, trying to figure out where I was. I do not remember being here before. I could only see the stars, my body drifting along with their beauty. _

_I looked down expecting to see nothingness, but instead two shadowy figures lying next to each other. I squinted, trying to find out who they were, but I could make out none of their features. They were sleeping peacefully in a flowery field surrounded by a sparkling lake, shining like real diamonds. _

"_You are who I desire," I heard a voice say. I looked down at the figures; the voices were coming from their direction._

"_I feel the same way."_

"_Have you not figured it out yet?" I looked up startled by the sudden deep voice calling out to me. "This is what may be, but if you yourself do not take action, this will be nothing more than a dream. Once an opportunity is missed, there is no way to get it back. Whether you make the decision is your choice. Your fate lies within your grasp." _

I awoke back in my own bed. My breathing was uneven as my dream replayed in my mind. I glanced over to see Jigglypuff sleeping in her bed contentedly. I smiled, her relaxed expression soothing me inside. When reflecting on my dream again, my eyes widened when I realized what it really meant.

"_This is what may be, but if you yourself do not take action, this will be nothing more than a dream."_

Could it mean a special bond between me and Jigglypuff? That had to be impossible. I know I deeply care for her whether she knows it or not, but I need to take action or else I will miss the opportunity.

Though I was still unsure of what I was feeling towards her, I knew it was really deep and unbreakable. Something had to be done, and only I could make that decision.


	31. Episode Twenty Four

_Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate the wonderful feedback. Because you are all awesome, I made this chapter longer. Enjoy;D_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

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**Chapter Thirty One**

**Episode Twenty Four**

_Haunting Graphics, _Meta Knight's POV

***

My eyes opened, the blinding sunlight shining through the window. Irritated, I noticed the curtains were pushed aside, allowing all the light to interrupt my sleep. I suppose it does not matter anyway; I never slept enough. Jigglypuff's bed was neatly made. She must already be awake. Cautiously, I lifted up my mask, rubbing my tired eyes.

I attempted to get out from under the covers but they stuck together. I looked down, realizing they were tightly wrapped and some knotted around my body from tossing and turning. Memories flashed back in my mind as a reminder I had been dreaming. I struggled to free myself from the covers and after one last pull, I landed on the floor on my face. If Jigglypuff saw that, she'd be laughing. I should be grateful I'm alone. I pushed the pink blanket off my body, but it was tied up with my cape.

I lay on the ground, helpless, and to my dismay, maskless. When I fell down on the ground, it fell off, the strap having been loose. My hands desperately tried to reach it, but the blankets held me in place. The breeze felt so odd, but wonderful. I would have enjoyed it had I not been afraid someone could easily see my face. I hated it immensely.

The doorknob turned. My heart nearly stopped from fear. In an adrenaline rush, I managed to grasp the mask and hastily put it back on. I gave one last protest to free myself of the blankets. Thankfully, it worked but I was sent flying toward the bathroom, the door happening to be open. I landed in the bathtub with a thud and a groan of pain. My hand reached for something, anything to help me stand, but instead, it was the faucet. Water gushed out from the faucet, soaking me completely and inside my mask. I struggled for air, but with no success.

Suddenly the flow of water stopped. I looked up gasping for breath only to see Jigglypuff with a worried look on her face. "Meta Knight, what happened here?"

"You would not believe me," I replied evasively. She helped me up and I gratefully accepted. Jigglypuff held out a towel, a pink one to be exact, and I wrapped it around myself. "Thank you."

I went back to the bedroom and quickly tossed the blankets on my bed. Jigglypuff handed me the pink one. "You forgot this," she said with a smile. "I never knew you slept with a pink blanket. It's cute."

"Cute?" I repeated.

She giggled softly. "Of course! Actually, pink looks good on you. You should try wearing pink."

My cheeks felt warmer. "No thank you. I'll pass."

"That's a shame." She opened the door. "Let's get breakfast. There's a ham special!" I had no choice but to comply as I was dragged downstairs. She was surprisingly strong.

***

I sat beside Jigglypuff at a round table with Ike, Marth, Fox and Falco. To my surprise, I felt hungry this morning and obliged to eating the ham special. Jigglypuff and I were the last ones to show up at the cafeteria.

"What took you two so long?" Ike asked as soon as we were seated.

"Meta Knight had a bit of a wake up call involving him almost drowning himself in the bathtub," Jigglypuff answered. I scowled behind my mask. Ike and Fox looked at each other for a moment before bursting into hysterical laughter. I glared at them, annoyed.

"What is so funny?" They continued to laugh, disregarding my question. I sighed, starting on my breakfast. Ike laughed so hard he fell out of his seat. I knew others were staring at us now. I looked away, towards the ground, desperately hoping Ike would be quiet.

"He's all right," Marth said to the others. "He's in one of his moods, ignore him." When everyone went back to their own business, he smiled at me knowingly. I nodded back. Ike finally got up, red faced and out of breath. He sat down, still snickering.

"H-How did you almost drown _waking up_?" Ike questioned, fit to burst into laughter again. I inwardly hoped he wouldn't.

"You would be better off not knowing," I replied, finishing my plate, stomach feeling a bit sick. Jigglypuff smiled at me, and I felt a tingle spread throughout my body. My heart felt as light as air for a moment before settling down again.

Ike dropped the subject thankfully. "Did you two know there is going to be a sleepover party in the lounge tonight?"

"A sleepover party?" I asked, confused.

"All the Smashers will be meeting down there to watch movies. You may want to bring a blanket and pillow. The Master Hand is providing mattresses," Marth explained.

"Movies?" Ike looked up interested. "Can we see _My_ _Bloody Valentine_?"

"Definitely not!" I heard Jigglypuff quickly snap. "Don't you remember what happened the last time we all watched that movie? Lucas was traumatized for life!" Ike sunk down in his seat, dejected.

"That's no fun," he muttered.

"We've already decided to watch _Life as a Lonely Soul._ It's supposed to be a good movie," Fox said. Marth nodded.

"Sorry Ike," he said. I knew he didn't feel sorry at all. None of us were except for the villains.

Ike stood up, almost knocking over the dishes on the table. "We're seeing that movie? I already saw that one and it was terrible! _My Bloody Valentine_ was actually interesting! There is absolutely no action in this one at all. All that happens is this weird guy ranting about how horrible his life was!"

"They're staring at us again," Marth whispered loud enough for only everyone at their table to hear.

"Of course. He's acting like an idiot," Falco muttered.

Jigglypuff sighed, and quite frankly, I was getting tired of this. When I knew he was too busy ranting, I stood up from my seat and snuck up behind him. I briefly kicked him in the shins, hard enough for him to kneel over. The room filled with laughter. I chuckled a little too, but when others looked my way, I instantly stopped.

When we left the cafeteria, Ike had hobbling out of the room. Jigglypuff laughed, walking beside me without hesitation. She followed me outside to the garden, sitting down next to my side. It was perfect to be outside when it was sunny. I enjoyed it, even more with Jigglypuff sitting down next to me.

"That was so funny Meta Knight," Jigglypuff said. "I never thought you'd be the one to shut Ike up."

"You are still surprised about that?"

"Yes. You're usually so quiet around others. No one saw it coming."

"That makes my job easier," I said, smirking behind my mask. Jigglypuff smiled, knowing it was there.

"I don't feel any less worried than I do now," she said, still smiling. "Are you attending the sleepover tonight? The last time we had one, you declined to go."

"I will be there Purin," I said, making sure no one was around. I vowed to her I would call her by her real name when we were alone. "With you if that is all right."

"Of course it is," Jigglypuff said, inching closer to me. In the last month, we've developed a strong trust between us. We were much more open to each other than anyone else in the tournament. "You should bring your pink blanket to the sleepover."

"Not in my lifetime," I said, chuckling.

"Are you sure you won't get stuck in the blankets again tonight?" She asked, amused.

"Do not worry. I won't," I assured her. "Out of curiosity, did _My Bloody Valentine_ have a lot of action?"

"Too much if you ask me," she replied, face contorted with disgust. "It had to be the most horrific movie I ever saw. I had nightmares for a week after that. Poor Lucas was so scared, traumatized. I thought I would be traumatized myself. You were lucky you didn't see it, believe me!"

"_Life as a Lonely Soul_ won't be as scary then?" I asked.

"Thankfully, yes. The Master Hand made sure it was not so graphic this time. Ike had been in trouble for selecting a movie too mature rated for everyone."

"That was why he was in a bad mood. I should have known."

"I admit, Ike's moods are creepy." Jigglypuff laughed nervously for a moment. "One minute he can be sane, the next minute, he wants to see the most horrific movies and scare everyone else! It's frightening."

"How true," I agreed. "Not that _I_ find that scary though." She stuck her tongue out.

"Nothing scares you," she said, a teasing smile on her face. "How do you do that?"

"Naturally," I said, grinning. Her expression was priceless. "I was only joking Purin. I have my own fears, like everyone else."

"I thought you really _meant_ that," Jigglypuff replied. "What does scare you?"

"You will have to wait and see. Time will tell...eventually or if you manage to find out. I highly doubt that though." She stuck her tongue out at me again. I chuckled and she joined in. I never felt so at peace in a long time. Never until now had it crossed my mind that I would miss companionship; a strong bond. Could it be more than...impossible. Never would it ever be a reality.

**

"Meta Knight, if you don't hurry up, we're going to be late!" Jigglypuff called to me from the bedroom door. I came out from the bathroom, after ensuring my appearance was as perfect as it could be. I spent an entire hour in the bath with the scented bubbles. I glanced at the clock realizing the sleepover party would start in ten minutes.

I hastily grabbed the nearest blanket I could find in the pile I tossed on my bed this morning and a pillow, following Jigglypuff. She chose to wear a silk flowery gown, instead of her usual shawl. It looked very beautiful on her. She didn't question that I kept my armour on. Jigglypuff knows I keep it on when I sleep, or in my case, tossing and turning.

Jigglypuff led me to the mattresses she reserved for us. I neatly placed my blanket and pillow taking a seat. Hers was next to mine, and I secretly liked that. Ike walked over to me deciding to make conversation before the movie would begin.

"You decided to come after all, huh Meta Knight?" Ike asked. I nodded. "You wanted to be with Jigglypuff, is that it?"

"Part of it," I admitted without realizing what I said. When Ike grinned in triumph, I felt my cheeks warm up considerably.

"I knew it! _I knew it!_ I was right," Ike said. Then he whispered in a not-so-quiet voice, "Do you _like_ her?"

"N-No, it's not like that!" I protested. Ike smirked.

"Your secret's safe with me," he said. "Nice blanket."

"W-What do you mean by that?"

Ike motioned to the blanket and I realized with embarrassment I grabbed the pink one I desperately wanted to keep secret. "You sleep with a pink blanket?"

"I don't," I fibbed. "I was late getting ready for the sleepover and Jigglypuff was getting impatient and let me borrow one of hers." I looked over to see if she heard. Jigglypuff was talking to Peach and Zelda, I realized with relief.

"Meta Knight," Ike whispered, making sure no one else could hear. "I think she's sweet on you. Did you ask her out yet on a date?" My eyes widened.

"No," I said. "I told you it's not like that."

"Liar," Ike replied. "You have a crush."

I felt myself blush behind the mask. I sighed, giving in. "All right, I do _like _her but you cannot tell _anyone._"

"Ask her out," Ike suggested. I fidgeted nervously.

"I cannot do that. I never had any dating experiences. I don't even know how to ask her."

Ike thought for a moment. "Just ask her if she wants to go out for pizza with you."

"Maybe sometime." I was ashamed that after all I went through in the past, I was too scared to ask out a girl I liked on a date. The lights were turned off, the TV screen lighting up. Ike grinned at me before returning to his group. Jigglypuff sat beside me and I could have sworn her hand inched closer to mine.

The movie began and after watching the beginning, this may be enjoyable after all. In the introduction, a shady figure appeared from the darkness talking to himself. He walked down a lone alley reflecting on his life occasionally with a flashback. There were some slightly horrific scenes but I did not mind. Jigglypuff was frightened however, and her hand grasped my own tightly. I inched closer to her until my side touched hers. Jigglypuff smiled at me, seeming comforted by the gesture.

As the movie progressed on, something triggered in my memories; parts of my life I tried to hard to forget. The lonely figure spoke of how his life was torn apart by the death of his friends. Another flashback took place. The figure was holding one of his dead loved ones close to his heart literally to say farewell.

The dead person was his girlfriend, I found out with horror. I did not find the movie scary at all, mostly sad. It reminded so much of the war I had to endure in the past. I looked away from the screen, my stomach feeling uneasy. Without thinking, I gently squeezed Jigglypuff's hand for comfort. I couldn't bring myself to face her. Keeping my emotions under control was my top priority.

The figure carried the girl's body to the lake. The sky above was full of glittery stars. He let the body sink in the water after saying a final farewell. He spoke again, the flashback ending. A memory replayed itself in my mind. Had I been in this situation before? My eyes burned and I tore my gaze away from the screen again.

"Are you all right?" Jigglypuff whispered to me. I looked up surprised.

"Yes, I'm fine," I replied. My stomach did a flip, and my shoulders stiffened up. Jigglypuff's expression was serious. She knew something was wrong. I could not tell her. If she knew...the thought made my insides squirm uncomfortably.

In the background, I could hear a few people sniffling and I suspected they were crying. One of them was Jigglypuff but she looked down so no one else could see. I wrapped one of my arms around her, rubbing circles on her back. She rested against my shoulder, my heart rate escalating rapidly.

The credits played at last. My eyes burned a little, but I held back any tears I had within me. None surfaced to my relief, but the memories haunted me yet again. There would be some more activities before going to bed, but I know I won't be able to sleep tonight.

Yet I felt the need to relax so while the others were talking amidst themselves, I laid back down on my mattress wrapped in my pink blanket. No one questioned me of the blanket. Ike told them I was borrowing it from Jigglypuff.

Jigglypuff lay down next to me, smiling. "You told them it was my blanket?"

"I had no other excuse," I whispered back. "If I admitted it was mine, I'd be teased."

"Teased? No, not really. If anyone does, it would be the villains being their usual self. I still think it's cute."

"No, not cute. Please don't say that," I told her.

She smiled. "How did you like the movie?"

"It wasn't that bad," I said, not mentioning how deeply affected I was by it. If only it hadn't brought back memories of the past.

"I found it sad," she admitted. "The poor guy, having to go through all that. It wasn't scary this time...but emotional. I wish he could have been happy like everyone here."

"Not everyone," I whispered under my breath. Jigglypuff looked up.

"Did you say something? I thought I did."

"No I didn't. It must have been the others, I suppose." She nodded agreeing. We lay down again. Jigglypuff was exhausted, but I remained wide awake.

"Meta Knight," she began.

"Hm?" I looked in her direction.

"Did...you ever...nevermind, it's not important."

"To me, whatever you have to say is important," I replied. "Even if you don't think so, I would be more than happy to listen to you."

"It's...well... Meta Knight, during the movie, you seemed...you acted like...what I mean to say is, what did you go through in the past?"

"You really want to know?" She nodded. "My past...should not concern you so. There is nothing important worth mentioning. I told you I was fine earlier and I truly meant it." I bit my lip, knowing how much it hurt to lie to someone, but I didn't want her to worry about me like this. It wouldn't be healthy.

"Meta Knight," she said softly before her eyes closed all the way. "Remember what you told me? Anything I said to be worth listening to? You should take your own advice too. If something ever bothers you and you don't say anything about it, it worries me. To hold in your feelings is damaging. It can destroy you. I care...about you. Never forget that."

"Thank you," I whispered. Her eyes closed fully. She rested against my shoulder and it dawned upon me that her mattress was vacant, but she was sleeping by my side. I smiled, her kindness deeply touching. It was so...thoughtful of her to care. I wrapped the pink blanket around her too, enjoying the warmth between us. Though as alert as I had been previously during and after the movie, I felt exhausted. My eyelids closed and I finally fell asleep.

Maybe I really did miss companionship and the need to be cared about by another. As soon as I can gather the courage, I will ask Jigglypuff out. Ike was right all along.


	32. Episode Twenty Five

**Chapter Thirty Two**

**Episode Twenty Five**

_My Curse, Jigglypuff's POV_

I woke up, for a moment, forgetting where I was. Rubbing my eyes, I remembered I was in the main room on one of the mattresses. I tried to sit up, but something or someone was holding me in place. I looked down to see that Meta Knight had his arms wrapped around me. My face flushed red as I laid back down, resting my cheek against his mask. He was persistent when he wanted to be.

I glanced around the room, grateful to see that everyone was still sound asleep. No one would know what was going on. Relieved by the thought, I decided maybe since everyone was sleeping, I could try to show Meta Knight how much I cared. Double checking, ensuring no one was watching, I wrapped my arms around him, my hands tracing circles on his back. His skin was so smooth, I almost went into shock. What had I been expecting? Did I truly expect his skin to be so irresistible? Without hesitation, I continued to stroke his back and along his arms. If he had been awake, he probably would have killed me for doing such a thing.

I shuddered thinking about that. He was extremely strong and could take me out easily if he wanted to. I was the weakest Smasher in this whole tournament; he wouldn't find me a challenging opponent whatsoever. I felt along his arm again, surprised at how tense it was. Was he always this uptight all the time? I massaged his arms hoping it would lessen up his muscles. His arm relaxed in my grip. I wonder...if he had been awake, would he have enjoyed it or murdered me...

Meta Knight turned to lay down, stomach first on the mattress and partly on me. It completely caught me off guard and I couldn't move away, his arms still wrapped around my body. I was in a very awkward position and he was too deep in sleep to notice. He nuzzled his masked face against my cheek and my blush deepened. How was I going to explain this to him when he woke up?

My eyes closed, my mind feeling somewhat drowsy. In his comforting grasp, I drifted in unconsciousness. When I awoke, I realized all the other mattresses were empty. My cheeks flushed, knowing everyone would have seen us. I softly nudged Meta Knight on the shoulder, but he remained oblivious. I felt a shiver spread throughout my body, like we were being watched. When I turned to look around, Ike dumped a big bucket of freezing ice cold water all over me and Meta Knight. He was awake now, his eyes flashing red in Ike's direction, but arms still holding me close to him. With dismay, I remembered mine were too.

"Jigglypuff," he began. "Why...are you...am I...?"

Crap. I need an excuse right now. "It was his fault!" I quickly protested, pointed at Ike. "He was trying to blackmail us when we were sleeping. Why else would he have woken us both up like that?" I don't think I made any sense, but Meta Knight understood. He let go of me gently, glaring at Ike. He unsheathed his sword, eyes red. Ike stepped back, waving his hands in protest.

"I was not going to blackmail you two. Seriously!" I grinned. Success. "Are you going to kill me?"

"Kill you? I think not. That would be an understatement." His cape transformed into his wings. Ike took another step backwards and fell on top of Bowser who happened to pass by. Bowser glared at Ike, clearly ticked off. In less than a second, both him and Meta Knight were chasing after Ike. I buried my face in the pillow laughing.

I stood up deciding to have some breakfast at the cafeteria, though fearing I would be teased by everyone else when I arrived. Luckily, no one did that...sort of. I immediately was invited to sit with the other girls so I obliged. When I sat down, Peach was the first to speak up.

"Did Ike really do that to you and Meta Knight?" She asked. I almost burst out laughing.

"Y-Yes, h-he did that f-for b-blackmail." I almost choked on my food, repressing the urge to laugh extremely difficult. Peach and Zelda looked concerned.

"Are you okay Jigglypuff?"

I nodded, the laughter finally escaping my lips. Uncertainly, they joined in too. Ike walked, or to be exact, hobbled into the room followed by a triumphant Bowser and an amused Meta Knight. I grinned at Ike as he passed by. He glared at me.

"This isn't over yet," he muttered. "Someday, I'll have my revenge." Despite how funny the situation had been, I felt a twinge of regret inside. As the girls chattered amongst themselves, I pushed my plate aside, no longer feeling hungry. Maybe some time alone outside would help me sort out my thoughts. I pushed in my chair silently and quietly left the room.

**

I laid down on the grass, the sky blue and cloudless. The garden was my favourite spot to be alone. Lightly, I hummed a tune under my breath, thoughts drifting back to the incident this morning. What was I thinking when I lied to Ike? I admit, the situation had been funny, but now I felt guilty...was it because...no, impossible.

I should have told the truth and admitted that Ike had not been planning to blackmail anyone. Meta Knight held me close by his own will, though he was unconscious. I held him close because he meant so much to me. I wanted to repay him for his kindness. Sure, we may have been teased, but I wouldn't have minded knowing I spoke with honesty.

One more sigh escaped me before I began to sing. I couldn't stop myself. Throughout my life, singing was one of my favourite pastimes, that is, when my Master wasn't around. I sang in the past always in constant fear of being caught. Here in the Smash Brothers Tournament, I thought it would not be a problem, being away from the abuse, but I was wrong.

I remember the first time I sang. It felt so wonderful, but at the time, I was unaware of my curse as a Jigglypuff. Those who witnessed me had fallen asleep and didn't awaken for a few hours. My singing put everyone in earshot to sleep. That was my curse. I once thought at least _someone _could hear me, to encourage me rather than resort to abuse. That was one of the most disappointing and heartbreaking experiences in the tournaments.

Ever since then, I never sang in range of anyone's hearing again. I continued to sing my heart away while the moment lasted, convincing myself no one would be around to fall asleep. I stood up, walking around the garden. In my hands I held a few flowers I picked. The aromas were overwhelming, reminding me of a certain someone I had on my mind. Not just once in a while, but constantly.

My song came to an end, and I once again checked my surroundings hoping no one had heard me. Each time someone fell asleep was an individual stab to my heart though I know they can't help it. It's my fault. As I turned around, for a brief moment, I was certain I heard soft footsteps. I never bothered to check; it was impossible. I sang again, the vocals easier to force out of my mouth.

The wind blew against my face, an amazing scent carried among the breeze. I inhaled it, the sweet scent irresistibly addicting. As I continued singing, I felt a soft material touch my side. My heart nearly stopped. Was someone really listening to me? I couldn't bring myself to look and see if that was so. If I was deluding myself, my heart would break in two.

I decided to take the risk once my song ended once again. Two glowing yellow eyes looked into mine. I gasped, nearly fainting. I almost fell to the ground, but his strong arms held me close. "M-Meta Knight...!"

"Did I frighten you?" His voice was clouded with worry. I could tell by looking at his eyes.

"No...I was startled, that's all." I tried to sound calm. He saw through my lie.

"I am sorry. I should not have scared you like that." He slowly let me go and I found myself able to support my own weight again. "Your singing was beautiful. I am amazed."

"Y-You could...What you're saying is..." I stopped myself in mid sentence.

"No one has ever heard you sing before?" He asked. I nodded.

"It is my curse as a Jigglypuff," I replied sadly. "Anyone who hears me sing always fall asleep. Singing was my passion for as long as I could remember...I thought..." I felt my eyes burn a little. Why, oh why, did my feelings have to interfere _now_?

"What is the matter?"

"Nothing!"

"You're crying," he said. I realized with horror the moisture overflowing onto my cheeks. I looked away, ashamed, quickly using my shawl to wipe away the tears.

"I'm sorry about that. Normally, I don't get so emotional."

"It's understandable," he replied in the same comforting tone. He inched closer to me, his hand wiping any tears I neglected to dry. "What is the matter Purin? Something is bothering you."

"It's nothing, really."

"Purin, remember what happened last night?" I recalled it too well. The sleepover, the sad movie...and..."

"You told me anything I said was worth listening to. You should take your own advice. To voice your feelings and thoughts...it is not easy, it's difficult. I understand that. I would have said the same thing to you as well."

I completely forgot about that. Sighing, I decided maybe I would tell him after all. "Before I came to the tournaments, I had lived a...comforting life back in my home planet. For so long, my interest, my heart was devoted to sing. I spent my time alone by myself, so no one ever heard me. When coming here, I thought it was safe to try. Only after I attempted my dream had it been crushed beneath me. I was unaware of my curse. My singing put others to sleep within earshot. Realizing it when it had been too late was...was..." I felt the moisture surface in my eyes again. Crap. "Well, that's pretty much it. No one was ever been able to listen and stay awake...except..."

"I was the only one who ever heard you sing?" I couldn't tell what he was feeling. There was a mixture of feelings and complicated emotions in his tone.

"The only one." I forced a small smile, the tears thankfully held back.

"Your singing is beautiful." He was so close to me, literally, his side almost touching mine. "Do not let yourself believe otherwise. I never heard such amazing vocals before...Honestly speaking, I was almost had gone into shock."

I hugged him tightly. "Thank you...so much..." I thought he was going to pull away but he didn't. Instead, his arms entwined around my body in an embrace. "I feel much better now."

"So do I. I do not like seeing you so upset. I want you to be happy."

"Meta Knight?" I asked. "I was wondering...have you ever...tried to sing before?" I didn't know what answer to expect. He might have since his voice is so enchanting.

"No, not anymore."

"W-What? You stopped, why?"

"In the past, I had attempted to sing. I realize now it was foolish of me to act in such a way. I tried, but...my voice was horrible. I was told so. I never sang again."

"I would never say that about you."

"I know and understand that Purin." He sighed. "My singing was put down severely. What else would you expect me to do?"

"You are in Super Smash Brothers now, not in the past. No one here would tease you about it. To answer your question, I think you should try again." He looked me with another unreadable complicated expression. "I _know_ you can do it."

"Maybe I will...someday." He released me from his grip. "Time will tell, though I believe, I never will be ready. It is not meant to be."

"Perhaps you could try one more time? I'd love to hear you sing."

"Perhaps I will. If you really want me to...When I am ready, I'll let you know. For now, be patient. Time will tell."


	33. Episode Twenty Six, Part 1

_I hope you all like the new chapter. I'm not sure if it turned out right, but it will get better after this update! Keep up the awesome feedback everyone;D I'll get the next one done as soon as I can._

_Disclaimer: Same as usual. I don't own anything SSBB related or the characters. _

_********************************************************************_

**Chapter Thirty Three**

**Episode Twenty Six, Part 1**

_Mysterious Stranger, Meta Knight's POV_

May passed quickly, and once again, the brawl records had been distributed for the month. I neglected to look at it, knowing it would be the same as the last couple ones. This time no one knew about my once again perfect score except for Jigglypuff. I was shocked though when she showed me her brawl record. She had won a couple more matches and I always encouraged her not to give up.

"I wish I won more brawls," she had told me the previous day. "You're perfect."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "I am not perfect Purin. I have my weaknesses like everyone else." At the current moment, I was spending time alone on the Halberd. No one else was allowed on my ship so I knew for certain I could reflect on my thoughts alone. I constantly thought about Jigglypuff, still wondering how I would ask her out.

One of my weaknesses was dating. I never had any experience so I had no idea how to ask her out, how I should act, what to say, and where to go. Thankfully Ike mentioned pizza at the sleepover.

"_Ask her out," Ike suggested. I fidgeted nervously._

"_I cannot do that. I never had any dating experiences. I don't even know how to ask her."_

_Ike thought for a moment. "Just ask her if she wants to go out for pizza with you."_

Jigglypuff and I trust each other much more now. It should not be that hard to ask her out. I glanced at my appearance in the mirror. Even on my own battleship I kept a storage of scented bubble bath and other products of the like. Every time I spent time with Jigglypuff, I wanted my appearance to be perfect. I wish I was not so self conscious around her. A few times when we were engaged in a conversation, I stuttered a little and when it happened, I always disguised it as a cough.

I stood up, deciding to spend time by the garden when I saw a strange figure cleaning the windows. I stopped immediately, looking at the man questionably. He wore a black t-shirt with jeans, hair and eyes both a dark shade of onyx. I approached him cautiously. "Who are you? I do not believe anyone besides myself is allowed on my ship."

"I am Bob, a hired assistant serving the Master Hand. I am permitted to go anywhere I wish, even your ship," he replied. "Now if you please. I am very busy."

"I still do not appreciate you intruding on my privacy." When I realized he was not listening to me, I felt a twinge of irritation. "All right then, but I am only giving you one chance." Still annoyed, I left the Halberd and headed to the garden. Who was Bob? If he was an assistant for the Master Hand, how did I not notice him in the past three months? I sighed, too worried about asking Jigglypuff on a date to think about the mysterious stranger.

By the time I made it to the garden, the sun was shining brightly in the noon sky. Though it was lunchtime, I did not feel hungry. I laid down on the grass a moment before a familiar melodious voice instantly captivated my attention. Still lying down, I shifted my gaze, realizing Jigglypuff was singing again. My heart fluttered simply by hearing her amazing vocals. Her eyes were closed, not knowing I was listening.

A sudden idea crossed my mind; one in which I was reluctant to attempt, but I knew not trying would be a bigger mistake. Making sure she was oblivious to my presence, I carefully picked a bundle of vibrant red roses and removed every thorn with Galaxia. I slowly approached her, fearing my face was the same colour as the flowers. With each step, my hesitance grew. Why did I feel so insecure of myself? Of all times, why does it have to happen when I am around Jigglypuff?

Her song was coming to an end, I was absolutely sure of it. I had to decide now whether I was ready to ask her out on a date. It was hard to breathe, I was so nervous. Jigglypuff turned around to face me, my heart nearly stopping instantly from shock. I looked down at the ground, handing her the flowers. Before she could respond, I found myself running towards the Smash Mansion, utterly ashamed. There was no way Jigglypuff would even look at me again? Who was I to leave her there without saying a word of response? I was a mere coward, I admitted to myself with shame.

As I was hurrying down the hallway, I realized I had not been paying attention to where I was going and ended up running into someone. I gasped instinctively. "I-I'm sorry!" I looked up expecting to one of the villains, but to my relief, it was Marth.

"It's all right. Don't worry about it," he replied, and to my surprise, not angry. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing," I replied, turning to leave, but he put a hand on my shoulder.

"When you came in, you seemed troubled. What happened?" He asked me, concerned.

"Nothing Marth."

"Does this have anything to do with Jigglypuff?" I froze up immediately.

"H-How d-did you-"

"Marth, where did you go?" Ike called from around the corner. I hoped he hadn't overheard anything. Thankfully he didn't, otherwise, I would have been more embarrassed. "We were going to train in a few minutes remember?"

Marth nodded. "All right then." He turned to face me. "Did you want to train with us?" I nodded, grateful to delay my confrontation with Jigglypuff.

"Is that okay with you Ike?"

"It's not a problem," Ike replied. Relieved, I followed the two, my mind still reflecting on Jigglypuff.

**

The training lasted until late afternoon, for a few enduring hours. Both Marth and Ike were exhausted, but I was too worried about seeing Jigglypuff again to be tired. They left for the cafeteria, while I headed in the opposite direction, once again neglecting my empty stomach. Perhaps watching the sun vanish in the horizon would distract my mind of any worries, fears, stress...

I passed by the cafeteria only to see Jigglypuff seated with the other girls, carrying the same roses I gave her this morning. My heart almost stopped. Was she telling them that...?

"Aw, that's so cute!" I heard Peach say. "That's so romantic! He _so_ likes you Jigglypuff!"

"I'm sure he...didn't mean anything like...that..."

"Did he ask you out yet?" Peach said, in an oh-so-quiet excited whisper. "On a date?"

"W-What? No! It's not like that!" I glanced at Jigglypuff, noticing how scarlet her face was. Behind the mask, I felt myself blush.

"Jigglypuff, I know you _like_ him. You've been daydreaming all day." Peach turned around. "Why don't you ask him out? He's over there."

Jigglypuff immediately turned in my direction, still holding the flowers in her hands. To my dismay, a few others turned our way. I was certain my face was completely scarlet behind my mask from blushing so much. I stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do. The embarrassment of not knowing how to ask out a girl never hit me harder than it did now.

"Come with me," I whispered softly. She nodded, following me down the hallway in a dreary, awkward silence. When I was certain we were alone, I turned to face her. "What was Peach talking to you about?"

"Um...well, she was...being her usual romance obsessed self. Nothing serious."

I motioned to the bouquet in her hands. "Was she, by any chance, talking about that?"

Jigglypuff blushed. "A-A little. Mostly about da-, I mean, asking someone out...nothing much."

"Who did Peach want you to ask out?" I finally asked, not sure whether to dread her response. She awkwardly met my gaze and spoke in such a soft whisper, I could barely hear the words.

"You," she replied. "I tried to tell her...it wasn't...like that, but I-I-think I...want to...try."

"Purin, I understand. Had I not left you at the garden this morning without a response, I would have asked you then. It was a mistake not to have said anything." I inched closer to her until my hand rested on top of hers. "Did you want to go out for pizza with me?" I looked down, extremely embarrassed.

Jigglypuff smiled, my heart responding by fluttering. "Of course Meta Knight! I would love to. When did you want to go?"

"How does tomorrow evening sound?"

"Perfect," she replied.

I almost collapsed from relief. In my whole life, I never imagined I would be dating. For someone to care about me was a feeling I missed throughout my life. I lost track of how many years it had been since someone was at my side caring for my well being. I felt a strange yet soothing warmth in my heart as I gazed into Jigglypuff's eyes again. By the time we went to our bedroom, I realized the whole way there, we we're holding hands.

My cheeks flushed red, unsure of whether to let go or not. Jigglypuff gave my hand a gentle squeeze as if to say 'it's all right,' and that warmth made it impossible to resist. Surprisingly, I did feel tired after all. As I lay down on my bed, Jigglypuff pulled the pink blanket gently over my body.

"Sleep well Meta Knight," she said, wrapping her arms around me. Did...she just _hug_ me? My mouth hung open in shock for a moment and by the time I could think straight again, she had fallen asleep.

"Sleep well Purin," I whispered before sleep took me over once again.


	34. Episode Twenty Six, Part 2

**Chapter Thirty Four**

**Episode Twenty Six, Part 2**

_First Time, Meta Knight's POV_

The morning passed by slowly, my thoughts only revolving around Jigglypuff. Did I really ask her out on a date last night or was it all just a dream? My mind was in a daze, only able to think about going out for dinner with Jigglypuff. It was still early in the afternoon, and currently I was sitting down in the bathtub, filled with scented bubbles. I laid back, relaxed.

Though I felt at ease, inside I was really nervous about the date. What was I supposed to do? Though as oblivious as I was in knowledge of dating, it would be shameful to resort to asking for advice. I needed to figure this out on my own. I got out of the bathtub an hour later, wrapping myself in a towel. Jigglypuff had told me earlier that she would be training for a while so I decided to risk going back to the bedroom without my armour. I had left it in my dresser before my bath on accident and I was grateful I had the room to myself.

I hastily dried myself with the towel, tossing it in the washing machine. I lay down on the bed, the calm breeze sweeping across my face. This was the first time ever in my life I relaxed on a comfortable bed without any armour on. I buried my face against the pillow, smiling.

A few knocks on the door startled me out of my pleasant daydreams and in a frenzy. Was Jigglypuff outside the room? No, it couldn't be her. We shared the same bedroom; she didn't have to knock.

"Meta Knight, it's Marth. May I come in?"

I glanced at the clock, shocked to see it was three in the afternoon. I remembered he agreed meeting me here yesterday to help me prepare for my date. I admitted it to him the day before I was hopeless when it came to dating, though inside, I felt ashamed.

"Yes," I replied, putting on my gloves. I inwardly cursed at myself for not putting my armour on immediately after getting out of the bath. Though Marth was a friend I deeply trusted, it was still embarrassing. I expected him to comment how much I looked like Kirby, but he didn't. He did not even seem the least bit fazed like I predicted he would. Never in my life was I this worried about my appearance. I searched through all my belongings in my dresser, Marth helping me decide what colour cape I should wear.

One hour passed before I considered my appearance satisfactory. I was less self conscious when I put my mask back on. Marth wished me the best of luck before he left for supper downstairs.

**

Jigglypuff and I were walking side by side to the pizza restaurant around six in the afternoon, and by that time, the stars were starting to appear in the starry sky above. None of us said a word for a long time, my reason being my shaking nerves. I wish I was brave enough to hold her hand, but to be honest, I felt too afraid to try.

I quickly glanced in Jigglypuff's direction, but she didn't seem the least bit nervous, rather excited. She inched closer to me, but I didn't object. Her beautiful eyes mesmerized me somewhat, and her smile lessened my intensifying fear. I quietly took a deep breath. There was nothing to be scared of. We were merely spending some quality time together, nothing more or less.

At least, that's what I had tried to convince myself. I knew behind my fears, I desired something much more, but my true feelings remained unknown. _"What is the true purpose of dating?" _I thought to myself. Was it simply to enjoy being with someone you trusted or did it somehow involve the strange emotions I've been feeling when I am around Jigglypuff?

"Meta Knight, are you there?"

"W-What?" I said, confused.

Jigglypuff giggled. "Have you been daydreaming?"

"S-Something like that," I said, too awkward to meet her gaze. "I apologize." I held the door open for her when we made it to the pizza restaurant. I lead her to a private table I reserved for us earlier and as we sat down, conversation began to flow.

"Meta Knight," Jigglypuff began. "You look handsome."

I blushed behind the mask. "Thank you Purin," I whispered. "You look beautiful..."

"Oh, t-thanks!" I smiled, Jigglypuff smiling back.

"May I take your order please?" A voice said in a fake Italian accent, though in my opinion, it sounded more French. I looked from Jigglypuff to the man, who looked distinctly familiar...the same black t-shirt and jeans...Bob _worked_ here?

I had let Jigglypuff decide what we would be eating and she told Bob our order. Again, I was grateful that Ike suggested pizza. When the two of us were alone again, she spoke up.

"Thank you Meta Knight, for taking me here. No one has ever been so kind to me before."

"No one has ever been this kind to you before?" I was surprised to hear that. Jigglypuff was so thoughtful, so sweet...yet why...?

"This is the first time I've ever been to a restaurant," she replied in a quiet tone. "I never thought it would an enjoyable experience."

"I have never been to a restaurant either," I said with understanding. "I agree the experience is enjoyable, especially when I am with you."

"W-What? You enjoy being with me?"

"Very much so. How could I not enjoy your presence when you have always been so thoughtful and kind?" She blushed as I spoke each word. "What was your life like before you came to Super Smash Brothers?"

"Oh, um...nothing particularly special. Just ordinary." Bob delivered our orders and before he could speak, I already handed him the payment. I could have sworn I caught a shocked look on his face as he left us be. I chucked to myself, amused. Jigglypuff looked at me, also shocked.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"N-Nevermind."

We ate in silence for a few minutes before resuming our conversation.

"You see, before I came to Super Smash Brothers, I mainly kept to myself all the time and preferred to be alone. Life, like I said before, was ordinary. Nothing significant happened to me. Everyday was the same repetitive routine. Like most other Pokemon, I belonged to a trainer and participated in several matches. That's all my life was for so long; to be trained and confined-"

"Confined? Did your trainer...?"

"N-No, it wasn't like that. When I was being trained, I stayed in my room until my Master required my presence. Not much of an interesting life."

I nodded, deciding to let her suspicious behaviour pass, at least, until we finished eating. I reached for a napkin the same time as Jigglypuff. My hand rested on top of hers for a moment. I realized what I was doing but couldn't pull away. The warmth was too addicting to resist. I let go ten full seconds later, noticing how deeply Jigglypuff was blushing.

After she took a napkin from the small pile, I changed my mind about taking one myself, too embarrassed. I ate the rest of my pizza awkwardly, still feeling butterflies in my stomach.

As we left the restaurant, I felt inclined to inch closer to Jigglypuff's side. To my surprise, she did the same, her hand reaching for mine. Butterflies easing up in my stomach, I held her warm hand in my gloved one. She looked at me, smiling. As we walked together under the starry sky, our sides touching.

Abruptly, Jigglypuff stopped and before I could open my mouth, I felt her arms wrap around my body. My heartbeat increased rapidly. I was certain Jigglypuff could feel it. Without hesitating, I returned the embrace, not wanting to let go. Her cheek rested against my mask, causing me to blush.

It seemed like hours before we separated. Jigglypuff once again held my hand, giggling. "Have you ever been hugged before Meta Knight?"

I looked down at the ground. "No."

Her eyes widened. "You haven't? Not even once?"

"No," I replied, feeling awkward.

"That's...so sad. I can't imagine a life without ever being hugged."

"It feels normal, in my opinion."

"Not anymore," she said, embracing me again. "From now on, I want to ensure that you never feel lonely again. You may not realize it, but the others care about you. When you isolate yourself, it worries everyone."

"I'm not lonely," I protested, but she held me close to her.

"Meta Knight, you're not a good liar. I know deep down, you seek company from others. There's nothing wrong with that. _That _is normal."

I was at a loss of words. "T-Thank you Purin for understanding."

"Meta Knight, I want you to be happy. It saddens me when everyone is enjoying themselves together and every time, you're always by yourself. There's nothing wrong with being involved in activities. If you gave it a chance, you might enjoy yourself."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. It is...difficult. No one would understand," I replied.

"Maybe not completely, but to an extent, yes we could. We never want to see you hurt."

"I am not hurt Purin," I said, maintaining my calm façade. "I apologize if I worry everyone, especially you. You mean so much to me Purin."

"You care about me?"

"More than I can describe in words. I lo-" When I realized what I was saying, I blushed. I glanced at Jigglypuff, hoping she didn't notice my embarrassment.

Jigglypuff hugged me again. "I care about you too." Thankfully, she didn't question why I had abruptly cut off my last sentence. If I had not held back, what would I have said to her?

**

Jigglypuff and I returned to the Smash Mansion about two hours later. The front doors were still unlocked, lights on. Inside I felt happy the date had been a success. From the cafeteria, I heard the others talking amongst themselves. As Jigglypuff left to join them, I quickly hugged her before heading in the opposite direction.

My thoughts still were occupied by Jigglypuff. I did not understand the attraction, the strengthening bond between the both of us. When I told her I cared for her, what was I going to say afterwards had I not stopped speaking in mid sentence?

I needed to find out what was wrong with me. I remained firm on not getting advice, especially from the internet or other Smashers. This I had to figure out for myself. My strange, complicated feelings for Jigglypuff grow stronger everyday. Her well being was more important to me than my own.

Marth turned the corner. I stopped suddenly, almost bumping into each other.

"How did it go?" he whispered and I immediately understood he was referring to my date with Jigglypuff.

"Wonderful," I replied, about to say more when Ike entered the hallway and heard Marth and I whispering.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing of your concern. We were merely talking about my date with Jigglypuff earlier."

"W-What?! You're dating Jigglypuff?" I had never seen Ike so surprised before. He quickly stood up straighter in a dignified stance. "I knew you had a crush on her Meta Knight. You took my advice about the pizza didn't you? Told you it would work."

Marth and I exchanged confused expressions. Ike was in one of his 'moods' again.

When Ike mentioned I had a crush on Jigglypuff, what exactly did he mean? Was he referring that I liked her in a _romantic_ way? That I...loved her?! It was impossible. It was simply not a possibility my feelings for Jigglypuff can be love. It cannot be.

But what if it is true? What if I am really in love? What was I going to do?


	35. Episode Twenty Seven

**Chapter Thirty Five**

**Episode Twenty Seven**

_Honesty, Jigglypuff's POV_

A whole week passed since my date with Meta Knight. Often, he was on my mind or appearing in my dreams. Every time I dreamt of him, he never said a word but gazing at the moon with bright blue eyes. Last night, my dreams started changing. I could see myself sitting down at his side but none of us exchanged a single between each other. He continuously gazed into my eyes, his own shining in equal balance between pink or blue. I could see myself reaching out to touch him, but when my hand was only an inch away from his, I awoke, confused in the darkness, the only light being the glow from the full moon.

Each time I awoke from my dreams, my first instinct was to turn towards Meta Knight who was always asleep on his bed, holding tightly to his pink blanket. During the last week, when I had woke up and could not get back to sleep, I found myself gazing at Meta Knight all the time; something he'd kill me for if he was conscious. For certain, I know he does not like that kind of attention. He prefers to be part of the shadows, merged within the darkness.

Sometimes I protested allowing the feelings I have for him strengthen but I gave up recently. He is completely irresistible, but in my dreams, I wish he would talk. His voice is mesmerizing, like a deep soothing lullaby. I wonder how enchanting it would be if he sang. I recently tried talking to him about it, but he dismissed my words quickly, briskly changing the subject. Why doesn't he want to talk to me about it? Does he believe that to be strong, he cannot sing? I am not pleased with my singing either but I continue to do it anyway, though alone because everyone falls asleep...except him, but...I still cannot believe how that can be possible. Yesterday I made the mistake of telling that to Peach at breakfast and she never stopped rambling on about romance ever since particularly, "He loves you Jigglypuff, that's why he could hear you!"

When I think about that unpleasant experience, it was _Peach_ saying that. It shouldn't be something I should dwell upon; she was just simply being her romance-obsessed self as usual.

But what if Meta Knight does love me? I could never tell the difference anyway with the mask hiding his face. Most of the time, I didn't know what he was thinking or feeling. Once in a while, he lets it slip, but usually he'd cover it up and act neutral again. He never spoke to me of the date, but he still accepted being hugged, but only when we are alone. I admit, he is very prideful and does not like to be embarrassed in the presence of others. But what would he have to be embarrassed about? A hug?

His mysterious ways never made any sense to me. He talks as though he is hinting at something, but then drops the subject altogether and most of time, he never brings it up again. He won't talk to me unless we are alone because, in my opinion, he believes the others are convinced we _like_ each other. Like I said, he's very prideful. If he did feel anything toward me, I would never be able to know.

Though I felt close to him emotionally, I hardly know anything about him. He never talks about himself and I never bring the subject up. Today, however, the urge was accumulating. I needed to know, but anxiety held me back. _"Who are you behind that calm façade? Why won't you communicate with any of us when we would understand how you feel? Why do you isolate yourself so much? What caused you to become so antisocial?" _I would never dare to ask him those questions, the first reason, he would kill me if I tried, and second, I was too uneasy and unsure of myself. Maybe that was how he always was throughout his life and I am making a big deal out of nothing.

I sighed, only when I slammed my drink on the table did I realize I was in the cafeteria eating lunch, once again, with the other girls who looked confused by my outburst. I lifted up my cup again, drinking slowly, gently putting it back down and continued as if it had been an 'accident.' They seemed to be convinced as no one looked my way for the rest of the hour as though I was hiding something from them. This was something I could never talk to anybody about, no matter how much it pained me deep inside.

Whenever I was not eating, I stayed by the garden to reflect on my own thoughts and about Meta Knight which continually haunt me everyday. I began to sing again, which had become a routine. I kept my singing quiet like usual, but even more so today. In my lyrics, I voiced my feelings for Meta Knight aloud, but in a language only Pokemon could understand. I really wanted to talk to him at the moment, but would he be withdrawn like he had been for the previous few days?

"Purin," he said as he approached my side, cape touching my shoulder. I immediately gasped, hands on my heart. Startled, I fell backwards, though to my surprise, he supported me in his arms. My breathing came in shaky gasps, but slowed down as his hand rested on top of mine. His hand was so warm in his tender grasp.

"M-Meta Knight, you shouldn't appear out of nowhere like that...! I was so scared..."

"I apologize." For a moment, I was sure his eyes were pink. "Do I scare you that much by 'appearing out of nowhere?' Of all the things to be afraid of..."

I scowled, irritated. "I don't find it funny."

He chuckled, my irritation melting away at the enchanting sound. He hardly ever showed his emotions, very rarely showing when he is amused. I was so happy to see him though as frightening he can be by merely approaching me.

He gently put me down on the ground, though I wanted to protest and stay in the warmth of his arms, but that would be too good to be true. "Purin, if you do not mind, could I ask you something?"

I immediately looked into his eyes, surprised. "Sure, of course!"

His voice became a whisper, like he feared he would be overheard. I leaned closer almost a few inches from his masked face. "Purin, I happened to notice in the last couple days, particularly last night..." He shifted slightly as if he felt somewhat awkward. "...I heard you talking in your sleep. You sounded troubled. At first I was unsure whether to wake you up. I could not tell if you having a nightmare or not." He looked away. "You mentioned my name...a few times, but after that, I did not understand what you said. Last night though, you were distressed."

"W-What did I say?" I asked, my cheeks bright red.

"You said my name...then...I could hear 'Why won't you communicate with any of us when we would understand how you feel? What caused you to become so antisocial?' Purin, what's bothering you? I am very worried."

"You'd kill me if I told you the truth. You wouldn't want to talk about it," I replied, turning away before his hand rested on my shoulder.

"Purin," he said, chuckling again. "Do you seriously believe I would kill you if you asked me a question?"

"Um...yes," I replied honestly. He chuckling became quiet laughter. My face felt considerably hotter. "What's so funny?"

"You believe I would kill you by simply asking me a question." His laughter continued, but still very quiet. He regained his composure a moment later. "Purin, what is bothering you?"

I bit my lip, doubting myself. The same couple questions I wanted to keep secret from him, I said them aloud in my sleep. It was completely embarrassing, especially because Meta Knight was my roommate. "Are you sure you won't kill me?"

"I'm certain," he replied in his usual serious tone. Convinced, I decided to take the risk.

"Meta Knight...I did say your name in my sleep right?" He nodded, but didn't say a word. "Those questions you heard me utter while I was unconscious, I wanted to ask you them, but...I think they are too personal."

"You are curious as to why I simply prefer to be alone and not in the presence of others," he stated, in such a calm tone, I was sure he could read my mind.

"Yes, I am." There was no turning back now. I had to find out the answers. "Were you always like this before you came to Super Smash Brothers, isolating yourself away from others?"

Meta Knight nodded. "Yes, though not as much in the past."

"Not as much?"

"I was more social, somewhat, when my friends were still alive, but never around anyone else."

"Does that mean...your friends...are dead?"

"Everyone I had knew, I had witnessed them die before my very eyes and was helpless to do anything about it. They have been dead for a long time. I've lost track of long it has been..."

"Meta Knight, that's horrible! I never expected..." My voice weakened, holding back any tears trying to surface. "How did they die?"

"Long ago, I was in a war Purin," he said to my utter shock. "A war so terrible, I am one of the few survivors from it. I had dearly trusted my friends so. We were always honest with each other, reassured one another we would be all right, but at the time, none of us knew what was to come..."

"That's so sad," I replied, eyes burning. "I cannot imagine ever having to go through that."

"My experiences in the war...I would rather forget it all and be innocent once again, but it has been taken away from me. I have killed both evil and innocent, the innocent being one of my friends. It hurt me so badly inside but it was the only way to save..." He stopped speaking and only then did I notice his shoulders shake.

"Meta Knight, I'm so sorry..."

"No, don't be," he said, voice calm somewhat, though once while it would tremble. "When I was but a mere survivor, I was still determined to go on, though my heart ached so much. Since that experience, I have always been withdrawn from others. I never thought I'd ever seek another to care for...I arrived at Super Smash Brothers, believing all I'd be there for was to fight, just like the war so long ago, but I was wrong."

"You were wrong? What happened?"

His eyes met him, which I swore they possessed a sky blue tinge. "I met you."

My mouth hung open for a long, quiet moment before I found the ability to respond. "Y-You...changed your m-mind because of _me_? How is that...possible?"

"You were the only one who attempted to show me you cared. That fact alone proves my purpose here was not only to fight, but to learn to find myself. You're resurrecting my true self Purin and never before did I realize how much it meant." He hugged me and for the first time, he rested his masked face against my shoulder. "Thank you." Once he released me, he spoke up. "May I ask you one more question?"

I nodded. Normally I would have said something. His tone...what was he going to ask me?

"Purin, it may not be any of my business, but I need to discuss something with you; about the date a week ago." I was initially taken aback. He never mentioned the date. I feared worry was etching onto my expression. "Answer me honestly. When you had spoken about your life on your home planet, were you by any chance treated badly by your trainer?"

With regret, I recalled almost letting it slip that I had did in fact get treated badly. I looked away from him, too astonished to glance his way. "Why would you ask me that Meta Knight? I was never treated badly. Like I said, I lived an ordinary, boring life."

He sighed, slowly shaking his head (also circular body). "Purin," he said. "You are lying to me. I can tell."

"Why would you say I'm lying? What do I have to hide?"

"You were...abused, am I right?" I was about to protest when I finally looked at his eyes again. They were clouded with worry; one of the few times when he let his emotions show. Eyes burning, I broke away from his gaze, preventing him from seeing my tears. I couldn't respond and if I did, I would burst into tears on the spot. If there was anything I didn't want to do, it would be to never cry in front of Meta Knight.

My heart raced when I felt his arms wrap around me. He knew. I didn't have to say anything to confirm his suspicions. I leaned on his shoulder, the tears finally surfacing. A few dripped on his armour but he didn't seem to mind.

"I'm sorry Meta Knight," I whispered. He held me closer, so close our faces were only a couple inches apart. My heart skipped a beat.

"There is no need to apologize Purin," he replied, standing up, but still holding me. I didn't know where we were going, but I was not afraid in the slightest. As long as I am with Meta Knight, it doesn't matter where he's taking me. Probably someplace private, to be sure the others didn't notice us. I inhaled deeply, breathing out slowly. The tears were still flowing but not as rapid as they were earlier. Once in a while, I could feel Meta Knight's hand wipe them away.

When my eyes opened, we were at the top of a cliff directly over the beach, the faint glow of a new sunset showering the pale orange skies. I blinked, confused. Wasn't it afternoon when I had last opened my eyes? I heard a chuckle and instantly I looked up directly into Meta Knight's eyes. I still remained in his arms, I realized.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked, eyes pink. My cheeks flushed red.

"I was asleep?" I said, awkward. I spent a few hours sleeping in Meta Knight's warm arms?

"Yes, and might I say, you were excessively beautiful." He sighed contentedly. "You did say my name a few times though..." His eyes flashed blue.

My blush deepened. "A few times?"

"Am I in your dreams a lot?" He chuckled again, this time, his shoulders were shaking.

I was too mortified to respond, with each second passing, my blush intensified. I stood up, leaving his grasp, facing the opposite direction. A moment later, he was at my side, hand against my shawl. I didn't know what to say so I kept quiet.

His voice reverted back to his normally serious tone. "You were crying in your sleep." I glanced his way. He inched closer to my face, seeming unsure of himself. His hand gently wiped the last few tears away and only after it happened did I notice he had taken off a glove. He glanced at my shocked expression, eyes pink. "The warmth was...amazing."

"I know I'd probably feel better if I talked about the abuse, but...I'm not ready yet Meta Knight. When the time comes, I'll tell you everything you want to know. Until then, I'm sorry."

"I understand," he said.

We didn't say a word to each other as we walked back to the Smash Mansion. As we passed the garden, I felt his hand touch mine. Before I left for supper, he quickly gave me another rose. Before I could say anything to thank him, he had disappeared out of sight.

When I fell asleep that night, I had another dream, one unlike the others I recently experienced.

_I was standing all alone under the glow of the moon, transfixed on the mesmerizing stars in the sky. They reminded me of Meta Knight's eyes: alluring, beautiful, enchanting...only they were not yellow which brought me back to the newest thoughts that plagued my mind. If he didn't have the mask on, would his eyes look any different? What kind of face was concealed behind a metal mask? _

_"You are delusional Jigglypuff," I told myself. "No matter how high my hopes get, I will never be able to see behind the mask. These thoughts...are so forbidden and wrong. It's his privacy." _

_"You are wrong. You have the right to know why I hide my face from everyone else," came a dazzling, distinct voice from behind me. "What ever gave you the idea it was forbidden to find out? It is natural, an intrigued curiosity." _

_"No, Meta Knight. You shouldn't have to take off the mask. That's your right."_

_"Indeed. My choice, correct me if I'm wrong." His hand reached towards the mask. I wanted to stop him. Why, if I was so curious, didn't want to know about his face? It felt completely wrong for him to comply by his own will._

_"Please don't," I protested. "Can't this wait until later?"_

_"A little nervous? Don't be. Were you not curious in the first place?" His hands moved to the straps, undoing them, the metal falling to the ground. All I could see what darkness and when I could see again, I found myself screaming. _

_"Who are you?!"_

_"My dear, if you so insist...I am Meta Knightmare, your soon to be destiny." He took hold of my shoulders. I could not get away if I wanted to. Something was wrong...he looked like a demon...this could not be Meta Knight. _

_"Go away!" I shouted._

_He smiled at me, grip tightening. "I'm afraid I cannot do that. I waited my life for you." _

_"Stop this!"_

_"I'm afraid not."_

"Stop!" I shouted, only to realize I had awoken. I shook all over, drenched in a cold sweat. Meta Knight turned my way, eyes widened. Had I been talking in my sleep again? He was about to sleep and I buried my face in my pillow, sobbing. I didn't sleep for the remainder of the night, too afraid to face the demon in my dreams...

Or to be precise, _nightmares. _


	36. Episode Twenty Eight, Part 1

**Chapter Thirty Six**

**Episode Twenty Eight, Part 1**

_Longing for Reason, Jigglypuff's POV_

A month passed since I had dreamt of Meta Knight being a demon, and as usual, I disregarded my brawl record for June. I knew for certain I lost every match in the last month so there was no use even looking at it. When I slept, I experienced similar dreams about Meta Knight, still a demon with the exception of not removing the mask. Even if I am conscious, out of the world of my nightmares, the thought of seeing him unmasked terrifies me. Would he become a demon and try to kill me like in the dream?

It was unhealthy for me to be stressed out over a dream, but for it to persist me over and over again does nothing to help me sleep. Ever since the first time, I've learned to hold in my tears and if I couldn't, I would leave the room so Meta Knight wouldn't hear. Had I been constantly dreaming of him because...impossible. If that was true, they would never be twisted into horrible visions. I only started experiencing these nightmares when I had been curious about Meta Knight's past. I could only suspect he was hiding something from me, but too afraid to admit it.

I'm one to talk. I can't even talk about my Master or the abuse I endured before I came to Super Smash Brothers. I'm no better at voicing my past aloud than he is, no, I am worse. I was in tears when he had asked me, but when I questioned him, he always stays calm. No wonder he survived during the war.

Why do I feel so strange though when I'm around him? The urge to lie in his arms once again grows stronger with every moment I spend with him. He kept his word not to ask me about my past until I felt ready to tell him what happened. When I recall our afternoon together last month, when he told me about losing all his friends, I did hear emotion in his voice; sorrow.

When he seems so calm, is he really upset deep down? To be calm all the time, it is a façade. I cannot imagine Meta Knight being emotional over anything, so why would he not be calm? I got out of bed, knowing I couldn't sleep. I spent a few moments gazing at Meta Knight, who was still asleep. At first, he seemed calm, but when I continued to watch him, it appeared to be the opposite. His hands gripped the blanket tightly and I found the courage inside myself to reach out and touch his shoulder hoping he would remain unconscious. I almost gasped when I touched him. He was...so tensed up. Was he this stressed all the time?

When I attempted to pull away from him, I found that I could not. His presence was addicting. Before I could stop myself, I laid down next to him on his bed, snuggling against his cape. What was I doing? He'd kill me for sure when he wakes up. A second later, I found myself thoroughly exhausted and fell asleep against Meta Knight. Before the void of unconscious took me over, I could have sworn he wrapped his cape around my body.

_**_

"_Why so afraid? Is this not what you wanted?"_

_I sat up, disoriented, not knowing where I was. The voice, I immediately recognize, is the same demon deluding my mind. Glaring resentfully in his direction tempted him to continue. I wouldn't talk to this demon any longer than I had to. _

"_Deciding to ignore me...I think not. I know how you feel about him and if you resist your destiny any longer, he'll be no more, I promise you. As you can see, I am in a bad mood so I'd be very careful how you talk to me." _

"_Fine, I'll listen to you, but believe me, I'm in a bad mood too. If you dare threaten or even mention him again, I'll kill you. I can shut you out of my mind. Think I won't do it?" _

"_Do you not understand, you foolish girl? I am him, what he really is. He tries so hard to disguise his identity and might I say, it is appalling." The demon took notice of my shocked expression. "Oh, he never told you the truth? Did you really believe he was always the chivalrous, mysterious knight?" I heard laughter echo, and it continued to repeat itself in my mind._

"_Leave me alone. I know you are nothing but an illusion. The Meta Knight I know would never hurt me no matter what. You, however, would kill anyone who gets in your way!"_

"_If I were to leave you alone..." the demon spoke. "Your boyfriend would no longer exist. I am part of him, the part he hides from everyone. Decide now, dearest Jigglypuff. Do you truly want him to die? I am the same, the part of him you see is nothing but a trap. If I leave, you'll never see him again."_

_Tears flowed down my face. "A-All right...you can stay."_

"_Very good." His laughter rang out vividly and by that time, I was sobbing. _

"Purin!"

I opened my eyes, remembering that I fell asleep against him. When his hands touched my cheeks, I realized I was crying again. Ashamed, I looked down, unable to even glance at him.

He stayed quiet, but continued to hold me close. I forced any remaining tears back, not wanting to dwell on my dreams any longer. I needed to find out the truth. "Are you all right?" he asked me, clearly worried.

"No, Meta Knight. I'm not." My response surprised him. Normally I am always in a good mood, but now, I felt like that part of me died. I continued to live, but inside, it felt like death.

"What is wrong Purin?"

"I cannot even sleep!" I said, almost to a shout, unintentionally. "Every time I try to rest, I have the same dreams every time! I need to know the truth!"

"What truth?" He asked.

"Who are you really?! Every time I dream, it is always about you, except you are a demon instead! You are hiding something from me, and if you don't tell the truth...!" Surprised about my outburst, I clung onto Meta Knight, the tears flowing again.

"I am sorry Purin, I really am." I heard sadness in his voice, unlike his usual serious tone. "I never realized it would hurt you so much if I kept quiet. If I did tell you, you'd hate me...and I..." He stopped speaking, and I immediately felt guilty for nearly shouting at him.

"Meta Knight, if you told me the truth behind my dreams, I would never think of you any differently," I told him in a gentle, comforting tone. "Why do I keep dreaming of you being a demon?"

"I....I..." He struggled so hard to speak. I never heard him sound so distressed. "Purin, I...am...a demon." His eyes flashed grey, a colour I never saw before.

I didn't know how to react. My mouth hung open though, shocked my suspicions were confirmed. He didn't look my way, instead, burying his masked face in the pillow. Heart aching, I hugged him as if to say 'It's all right. I still care about you, no matter what you are.' He understood and sat up, continuing to return the embrace.

"I'm so sorry Meta Knight," was all I could manage. He nodded instead of speaking to acknowledge my words.

"You should get some sleep. You look exhausted," he told me, yet I immediately understood he was trying to be evasive and drop the subject.

"Meta Knight, I can't sleep. I'll keep dreaming of you being a demon. He told me if he leaves my dreams, I will never see you again. You'd die!" I protested. His eyes widened.

"Purin," he began. "They are only dreams. Do you truly believe that demon? You should not worry about your nightmares any longer. It will be all right."

I sighed. He did have a point after all. How could a mere dream kill Meta Knight? Inside, I felt completely stupid. "You don't mind if I sleep here?"

"No, I don't mind." Before he lay back down again, he hugged me. He didn't have to say anything. I could feel it in his posture he felt relieved I still thought of him the same way, even though he was a demon. The one in my dreams isn't real. Feeling better than I did before, I drifted into unconsciousness again.

"_Back so soon? I'm glad you kept to your word. Like I said, I disappear and so does your boyfriend."_

"_He is NOT my boyfriend!" I shouted at him._

"_But you love him, don't you?"_

"_Well...um..." I blushed, fidgeting nervously with my hands. "Yes, I do."_

"_You are more oblivious than I thought you to be from when we first met, exactly a month ago. Is he trying to tell you not to listen to me, because he knows I speak the truth, one in which he continues to hide from you."_

"_He did tell me he was a demon. Isn't that enough!?"_

"_He briefly told you a fact. He never really told you about himself that much, did he? Or about any experiences he had in the past?"_

"_That's a sensitive subject! It bothers him to talk about it."_

"_How can you be so sure? How can you be certain Meta Knight isn't lying? I'm the one who knows the truth. If you wish to live, you will obey my every command. Don't listen to him Jigglypuff. All he wants is your blood. He wants it so badly, he'd do anything to succeed, even if that means betraying you." _

"_Liar!" I screamed at him. "You're nothing but an illusion. Can't you let me sleep in peace, at least once!?"_

"_Hmmm, if you asked more politely, I might consider it, but would that be good for you, I'm unsure. If you want to sleep peacefully, don't listen to your precious Meta Knight anymore. Maybe then I'll leave you for one night."_

"_What-"_

"_See you tomorrow my dear Jigglypuff."_

I awoke, again sweating, but not emotional as Meta Knight was still sleeping. I got out of bed and quietly crept out the door into the dark hallway. The moon was still shining brightly in the sky when I went to the roof to stargaze. What if the demon was real and...no, I refuse to believe it. I can't let that nightmare control my life. Meta Knight does not want my blood, he wants me safe and happy. That is how I view him and not even that stupid demon can change my mind.

As crazy as it may sound, for as long as I can, I will no longer sleep. If I remain awake, he cannot haunt me.

At least, that's what I want to believe.

... Meta Knight, I love you...


	37. Episode Twenty Eight, Part 2

_Wow, another quick update. I'm so motivated, the chapters keep coming. The next chapter will be quick as well. It's already done; all I have to do is revise it. Thanks for the awesome reviews;D They help motivate me to keep writing._

_Disclaimer: Same as usual._

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**Chapter Thirty Seven**

**Episode Twenty Eight, Part 2**

_Divulgence, Meta Knight's POV_

When I had awoke, Jigglypuff was not present in the room. Usually she stayed upstairs, most of the time, trying to wake me up. Sometimes, I can be a deep sleeper as she had pointed out a month after we first met. When I last gazed down at her, resting against my side, I could erase her tortured expression from my memory. Could she still be experiencing the same nightmares for the last month?

Though as haunting nightmares can be, I never heard of one to persist for a month. If she _was_ experiencing the same dreams. My concern for her well being grows everyday. I wish she would tell me what was bothering her. Her past, I can fully understand, that being a sensitive subject as the war is to me, but for something like a dream, why would she not tell anyone? My expanding apprehension twisted my stomach into knots and I knew for certain, I would not be able to hold down any food without becoming sick.

I searched the halls for Jigglypuff after I finished making my bed. Inside, I felt lifeless, like the void of depression had possessed my body, mind and spirit. I wandered the hallways, walking past Smashers in search of Jigglypuff. My cape was so tightly wrapped around myself, it hurt, but I didn't care. My pain for the possibility of losing Jigglypuff was greater. How could I not have realized how I felt about her before I first asked her out? As I made my way downstairs, I knew for certain I fell in love; an emotion I feared, yet desired.

I hurried past the training room, to the elevator and took a peek into the crowded cafeteria. Jigglypuff's seat at her usual table was vacant. It immediately dawned upon me she was no where to be found in the Smash Mansion. An idea suddenly filled me with one last thread of hope. She usually went to the garden when she was troubled. I ignored the looks of concern sent my way as I ran out the main doors, cape still wrapped around my body in my tense grasp. I released it, only to see a small bruise on both of my arms. I headed toward the garden, my heart beating fast from anxiety. Jigglypuff could not have disappeared...I refuse to believe that possibility.

I arrived at the garden a minute later, my face hot from the humidity from the intense heat. I searched the garden, fear striking my heart like a stab when I found it vacant. There was no trace of Jigglypuff here anywhere and by now, I knew this was her favourite spot to spend time by herself. I sat down under a tree in the shade, eyes glowing grey. She could not truly be gone.

When my eyes closed, I could picture her beautiful face smiling at me, her soft giggle echoing in my thoughts. It sounded so real, I looked around to see if she was here, but...I stood up, my cape becoming wings. I glided in the blue, cloudless skies, hoping to see her below but by the time afternoon had settled in, I felt dejected and hopeless. As I was flying downwards I overheard a conversation, but not intentionally.

"Did you see Jigglypuff today?"

"No, I didn't see her since last night."

"I think she's missing. No one can find her anywhere. We've searched all morning and she hasn't turned up yet."

"We should speak to the Master Hand about this. Everyone's worried."

When I heard the doors closed, I landed on the ground and collapsed, vision blurry. I felt dizzy and sick to my stomach. I tried to stand but my body wouldn't comply with my demands and continued to lie on the ground. I felt alone. The only one I cared for to disappear...should I have told Jigglypuff I loved her? Was it my fault she had vanished or did it involve the nightmares? Should I have told someone?

I felt myself being lifted off the ground but I was too depressed to protest and instead, I lay limply in their grasp. I could hear footsteps but my mind was too absorbed in my thoughts of Jigglypuff that it did not matter to me. When I finally opened my eyes, I found myself in the lounge on sofa with everyone else, most of them looking concerned. My still-grey eyes glanced from one face to the other. Everyone was talking about Jigglypuff's disappearance.

"He's all right," was all I could distinguish among the whispers of the crowd. I looked down, self conscious everyone in the room was looking at me.

"Meta Knight," someone said from beside me. I immediately recognized the voice. "...What happened?"

I never saw Marth so serious before. "I do not know..."

Marth was about to speak up when Link cut in. "Meta Knight, you do know Jigglypuff has gone missing, right? When we couldn't find you, we thought you had gone too. Where were you?"

"I knew Jigglypuff had gone missing," I replied, careful not to let her real name slip past my lips. "I spent all morning trying to find her, but I...failed."

"You could have told us earlier. We could have helped you."

"I do not need help from anyone. I am fine on my own and always will be." I stood up and turned to leave the room when a question froze me in place.

"Where did you get those bruises?" I looked at my arms and found the bruises much worse than when I saw them last. They were a dark shade of burgundy, tinted with black; the same colour as my demon blood. My expression was full of worry behind the mask. No one needed to know where they came from...my punishment for failing to protect Jigglypuff. I was...not strong enough, and if I was, I would have found out what had been bothering her so much.

"I was careless," I said, without looking back.

As I left everyone to stand there confused, I walked down the hallway, feeling lifeless, like a part of my heart from torn out from my body. It would have been normal to feel sorrow but I just could not. I couldn't feel anything at the moment, a trait of being a demon. If I experienced extreme sadness or anger, my sense of touch, the ability to feel anything became nonexistent.

I sat down in the hallway, eyes grey. The cape tightly wrapped around myself, I leaned against the wall in a lone corner, sighing. Most likely my arms would be bruised again in different places but now I felt nothing, no pain, no hurt. I drifted to sleep and when I regained consciousness, I was surrounded in darkness. Everyone must already be in bed. I stood up, the ability to feel returning to me again. My arms did indeed have a couple more bruises.

I wondered out the front doors, grateful I had the ability to see in the dark. After reaching my destination, the garden, I sat down, picking a red rose and inhaling the scent. So much similar to Jigglypuff's. I sighed. I missed her so much. A day without Jigglypuff is nearly unendurable.

Holding the rose in my hand, I whispered softly, "I am worried about you Purin. Why did you leave? I believe it is my fault you are not here and I apologize deeply. I should have told you earlier, though it is too late now. I love you. I loved you more than anything. It is forbidden for a demon to feel love and because of that, I was too afraid to tell you. If I did, I feared I wouldn't be strong enough to protect you or not to let my demon side take over my control.

The last thing I ever wanted was for you to be hurt. When you are hurt, I am sad too. I wanted you to be happy, not to live a life of abuse any longer. You never felt comfortable voicing your past aloud and neither am I. My experiences in the war and being a monster made to kill the innocent was not something I wished to voice to others. I should have trusted you Purin. I should have known you'd understand. All I did was hide the truth from you and I am deeply sorry.

You lived a horrible life before you came to Super Smash Brothers. I tried as best as I could to make the experience positive for you, knowing you suffered in the past. For so long, before I asked you out, I fell in love with you. My heart yearned for us to be together, but is that too much to ask for?" My eyes burned as I continued speaking softly to the rose as if it was Jigglypuff. "I knew you did not want to talk about your past, but the dreams...If something was bothering you, I would have listened. I-I'm so sorry...I wish you would come back. Where have you gone? Everyone's been worrying about you severely, even the villains. All I could ever wish for was to spend my life at your side. Purin, I love you."

My throat tightened when I realized I meant every word I said. I was shocked to feel my eyes burning with tears. I rarely ever shed any tears; at most a couple times but never an outburst. No one would ever know of anything I said. Life would go on as normal, whatever normal may be with Jigglypuff gone. I reached for my mask and removed it from my face, setting it down on the ground beside me. I hated my face dearly but now, I needed it off, the metal feeling somewhat uncomfortable at the moment.

"Meta Knight..."

I whirled around, the voice sounding so much like...Jigglypuff?! I sat up, turning to see if it really was her at the garden with me. It was no illusion. It was her after all. Happier than I could describe, I hugged her tightly, eyes burning again out of joy. She hugged me back, clearly longing for me as I was for her.

"Meta Knight, I am so sorry for worrying everyone like that...but there was something I had to deal with." She looked me in the eye with a look of agony I never saw before. "My dreams...were about your demon side. I wanted to get away from everyone else and attempt to reason with him."

"You were trying to reason with a dream?"

"They were real Meta Knight. Your demon side was trying so hard to persuade me to turn against you, but I refused. Nothing would ever change my mind of how I felt about you." She shifted awkwardly as if she was longing to tell me something but was hesitating. "Meta Knight, I heard everything you said earlier, just a few minutes ago."

I stared at her for a moment before I realized what she was referring to. My mouth hung open, my cheeks immediately flaming scarlet. "Y-You did?"

She nodded, leaning against my side. "I heard every word." Our faces were only an inch apart. I could feel her breath against my warm skin. "Your face is so cute Meta Knight. All this time, you looked so similar to Kirby, but...you're much more adorable."

I blushed deeply at her unexpected words. I forgot completely my mask was off my face. Again, I was careless.

"About what you said earlier..." She embraced me in a secure grasp. I was too surprised to speak. "I'm glad you understand. I was never angry at you for being quiet. That was _you, _the one I care for."

I smiled, finally finding my voice. "Thank you Purin...I..."

"I love you too Meta Knight," she replied. "I have loved you for a long time, but I was too scared to tell you. I don't care if you're a demon. You will always be you, no matter what. You're the most important one in my heart ever."

As I was about to open my mouth to respond, her mouth was over mine, lips on lips. Her smooth, wondrous lips caressed my own, sending a wave of butterflies in my stomach. My arms wrapped around her body, travelling to her face in gentle strokes. This was unlike anything I could ever experience in my life. I openly showed my feelings for her, as I kissed along her cheek and jaw and back to her lips again.

I was not aware of my surroundings; both of us only focused on each other. I knew we both had a lot of explaining to do tomorrow but that could wait. Our first romantic moment took higher priority. Maybe tomorrow I could find the strength within myself to tell her about my past.

And as I kissed Jigglypuff again, I promised to myself that was what I was going to do.


	38. Episode Twenty Nine

_Oh my gosh, this story reached 200 reviews! (throws confetti) Because you all are so awesome, another longer and quick update! Enjoy the fluff;D_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual._

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**Chapter Thirty Eight**

**Episode Twenty Nine**

_Choice of Fate, Jigglypuff's POV_

It was very difficult to go to sleep when both Meta Knight and I went to bed an hour later. Not because of any nightmares I have experienced, but due to excitement. I could still feel my heart beat faster than it ever did in my life. The relief of seeing his face and not the demon I had anticipated was an immense weight off my shoulders. When I did manage to go to sleep, it was peaceful for the first time in a few weeks. No more demons haunting my dreams.

I knew I should have told Meta Knight where I had gone for the day but I didn't want to remember, not even to myself. Even with the relief my nightmares would no longer continue to haunt me, the fact I could never say a word to anyone would always be on my conscious.

By the time morning came, I knew what to expect. I lost count of the times I had to repeat the story that I had to temporary return to my home planet for an emergency. I lied that I had a sister who had been gravely ill and the whole family needed to be there. No one besides Meta Knight knew I lived an abused life. They would never know of my dishonesty. Afterwards, I carried on like normal. Yet I needed to talk to someone about my worries.

Immediately, as if on instinct, my feet lead me to the garden. As I approached the garden, I could hear a wondrous and melodious voice softly singing. My heart raced, wondering who could possibly be singing so beautifully, with natural talent. Curiosity getting the best of me, I headed closer to see who it was.

My jaw dropped when I glanced over by the small lake residing beside the group of red roses. Could...the one singing so perfectly be...Meta Knight? He had told me he was terrible when I asked him how well he could sing.

"_Meta Knight?" I asked. "I was wondering...have you ever...tried to sing before?" I didn't know what answer to expect. He might have since his voice is so enchanting. _

"_No, not anymore."_

"_W-What? You stopped, why?" _

"_In the past, I had attempted to sing. I realize now it was foolish of me to act in such a way. I tried, but...my voice was horrible. I was told so. I never sang again."_

He tried in the past. What could have happened to him to turn him against singing?

Suddenly, he stopped and the area became eerily silent. He turned around to face me, eyes bright purple. He knew I had heard him sing. "I am sorry Purin. I should not have-"

"Don't say that," I said, tone dead serious. "That was the best singing I ever heard in my whole life."

He smiled, his hands reaching for his mask, removing it from his face. Meta Knight was so much cuter when he smiled. When he's happy, sometimes I can see small stars in his radiant, white eyes. "Thank you. I know I should not be singing, but I could not help it."

"Meta Knight, I was wondering...Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"I do not mind."

"When you had heard me singing a couple of months ago, around last May, I had told you about my curse as a Jigglypuff. You told me you couldn't sing well and never wanted to attempt doing it again. What did happen to you in the past for you to feel that way?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw Meta Knight biting his lip in discomfort. I was about to say something when he spoke up. "Purin, I should have told you back then why I refused to sing at all. When I did try in the past, it was when I was but a mere demon that did not yet rebel against its creator. I was sure I was alone, that no one could hear me. It was when I began to sing when everything became disastrous. At first, I felt light inside, like a dream was coming true. My creator heard me, who had been passing by. He was not pleased at all to hear his supposedly 'most prized demon beast' singing instead of killing the innocent."

"What happened afterwards?" I asked, feeling sorry for Meta Knight.

He paused for a moment. "When he heard me, the only thing I remember immediately after that was the scent of blood and my body in extreme pain. He told me, 'Demons don't' sing. They kill.' Everyone there had found out about what happened and thought it was funny. My creator made sure I understood how bad my singing was. I believed him. As far as I knew, he spoke the truth."

"Oh, Meta Knight, I'm so sorry!" I hugged him so tight, it was a squeeze. He didn't seem to mind, rather he decided to enjoy it. He wasn't as sensitive of being touched like he was at the beginning of the tournament. I still couldn't get over how soft his skin was. When I hugged him, more often, I wrapped my arms underneath the cape to feel the smooth texture.

When I told him how soft his skin was and how I never felt anything smoother than that, he blushed. When his mask is off, I noticed how easy it is for him to blush, though it makes him look cuter. Most of the time he looks away so I don't see his cherry red cheeks.

Though quietly, I heard him sing again and my heart was once again beating twice as fast. I leaned on him, against his cheek. As he continued to sing, I wondered how long he had lived. A demon could live for thousands and Pokemon...another complication. I would die before he would. My maximum life span would only be a fraction of his own.

I didn't want to think about death at the moment so I rested in his inviting arms and let myself be absorbed by his enchanting vocals. The moment was too serene for me to interrupt it with my worries. I'd tell him eventually. Even with my life span severely lower than his, death was still a long time away for me.

_**_

July passed so quickly, even more so with the fact my nightmares are no more and me and Meta Knight are dating quite frequently. With each date, he speaks more, though hardly about himself. He tells me how interesting I am and asks me questions about myself and never my past. I showed the same respect of privacy for him. He takes his mask off during our dates and in every one, his face always glows red. It's adorable.

Brawling records were sent out again at the first of August. So much changed about me in the past four weeks. I took the time to look through my record carefully and to my surprise, I won a few brawls. No need to ask Meta Knight what he got; the same one hundred percent.

We were serious about each other even with a month more of dating. Someday...would our relationship be more than dating? For a moment, I pictured the both of us dressed in formal wedding outfits. Disturbed, I shuddered. When Meta Knight questioned it, I passed it off an excuse that the light was too bright.

It was the second of August; a peaceful and calm night. As I approached the bedroom door, I could feel a familiar chill tingle down my back. Yet it felt so reassuring. The comfort I desired, my focus solely concentrating on fulfilling my need to feel safe and protected from the outside world. The door creaked open and cautiously, I closed it behind myself. With slow, uncertain footsteps, I walked towards the balcony, mindlessly pushing the curtains aside.

I sighed contentedly, my gaze meeting the shiny, shimmering stars. Absentmindedly, I whispered softly, "Meta Knight," wanting his company so badly. My conscious without a doubt had been consumed by love. I truly wanted to be with him my whole life.

My eyes closed, feeling so hopeless. He lived for more years than I could imagine possible but my life span could only last for so long. I'd die before he would. Pokemon never lived for significantly large periods of time. I turned around, ready to turn in and get some sleep but a figure stood an inch away from my body. I gasped instinctively.

"I am sorry I frightened you," Meta Knight whispered, his hand briefly stroking my cheek.

"Frightened is an understatement! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" My voice shook despite my attempts to remain calm.

"I apologize my dear Purin," he said softly. "You were not paying attention. I forgot."

"You really should stop appearing out of nowhere like that. Ever heard of a door?" I replied, irritably, but deep down I felt so happy to see him. He chuckled quietly.

"Yes, I have. I find them too inconvenient for my liking though." His arm wrapped around my body, pulling me in a gentle embrace. "You confuse me. I would have thought you'd be afraid of me hurting you but no...You'd be scared of me appearing out of nowhere."

"I don't care if you were created as a demon. I still love you the same as I did before." My voice remained firm and serious. "I don't fear you."

"You are much braver than I thought you to be. You mean it too." His eyes flashed green. "I don't even make you the slightest bit anxious?"

"Only if you disappeared for a long time. I'd be worried for your well being." I hid my face against his mask. "Like I said before, I don't fear you."

He held me closer to him, his cape soft against my shoulder. Meta Knight stayed quiet for a moment before releasing me to remove his mask. My heart beat stuttered unevenly, his adorable face painfully cute. My breathing came in staggered gasps. He softly laughed, his shoulders shaking slightly.

I opened my mouth trying to frame a sentence without stuttering when his own connected with mine, lips on lips. My vision blurred, the world spinning around me. Slowly my eyes closed, allowing his lips to romantically touch mine, the warm texture appealing to my senses. Knowingly, the kiss intensified as did my scarlet blush. His hands touched my cheeks lightly yet with hesitance. My body felt weakened, my mouth still enthusiastically on his. My feet gave out, resulting in me lying on the floor, still dazed unable to think straight. He landed beside me, mouth seeking my own again.

"Y-You win," I managed to say. He smiled, kissing me again, arms protectively hugging me close to him. My breath, literally, was taken away from shock. His lips separated. Apparently, he was out of breath too.

Meta Knight stood, armour of place, his cape hanging loosely over a shoulder. I finally noticed his cheeks were flushed too, blushing crimson. He lifted me up, carrying me to bed with him. "I am sorry for overdoing it."

"You didn't. That was..." I blushed, trailing off. "...romantic. You're a really good kisser. I underestimated you."

Meta Knight smiled, his turn to blush. I was captivated in his starry, glowing eyes. They are really beautiful, but if I admitted that aloud, I knew I'd embarrass him. He has a completely different personality when the two of us are alone. We were meant for each other, highly compatible. I wanted to spend my whole life with him, however many years that will be...but I want to be at his side forever. His life span as I mentioned before was significantly higher than mine. He called it a curse, but I desire it. If he is "cursed" to a long life span, so would I.

"Is something wrong Purin?" He asked me when I exhaled a deep sigh on accident.

"It's not important," I denied, turning away. Meta Knight's hands held me in place, gently stroking my cheeks.

"It is important to me whether you believe it to be for not." His lips touched along my jaw, my heartbeat stuttering again. He always got his way when he romantically touched me and he knew it. Meta Knight quickly kissed me hard on the mouth. "You can tell me anything." His eyes dazzled me again as he spoke.

"It's..." I began, fidgeting with my hands. "It's about us. You could live on for thousands more years, but I will die much sooner. Pokemon don't have long life spans, at best we survive no more than seventy years. We die sooner."

"That is true." Meta Knight stared into my worried eyes, studying my expression. "I sometimes forget you will not live as long as I will. Whenever I think about it...the very thought depresses me more than anything else."

"I don't want you to be sad about that. We should enjoy the time we have together and make the most of it."

"Again, true."

"There is a way, I am certain of it." I looked him in the eye. "When you were in the war, was it possible for anyone to be turned into demons? A demon can transform an innocent person, right?"

"...Purin...?"

"Yes or no?"

"Most likely."

"I've thought about that for a while. I made up my mind. I do not want to die much sooner than you. It would break my heart for you to be left alone." My expression became serious, no doubt in my tone. "I wish to become a demon too."

Meta Knight stared at me, breath knocked out of him. His mouth hung open in astonishment, eyes clouded with worry. The silence unnerved me. I immediately thought I did something wrong. "Purin," he began. "Why would you say that?"

"I want to be with you forever," I admitted. "If I am going to die much sooner than you are, I need to be a demon. Therefore, I'd live much longer."

"Never say that. You don't want to be a monster," he spoke, sighing sadly. "A life with me is not healthy for you. It's wrong...and unnatural."

"It is possible for me to become a demon, isn't it?"

Meta Knight nodded. "Regrettably, it is possible. I could transform you, being a monster myself, but I might lose control over my will. I don't want to take that risk. There is a high chance you could be killed in the process."

"This is what I want, my life long dream."

"You'd be willing to abandon your life on your home planet to be with me forever?"

"What life do I have there to miss? Abuse, torture, pain?" He winced at my response. "Life with you, I would cherish forever. I love you Meta Knight."

"You truly want to be a monster." He hugged me. "I love you too Purin, with all my heart. I suppose I could say yes to your question. If you truly believe I have to strength to persevere, then I shall too believe that."

"You're agreeing to this?" I was shocked.

"If this is what you want...but if you truly mean what you said about being with me forever..." He held me close, the most unexpected question escaping his lips. "Would you object to marrying me?"

"W-What?" I was too surprised to frame my words properly. The image of the both of us in wedding clothes flashed into my mind again. I could not picture us in any kind of wedding. It didn't seem real or possible. Not to mention the engagement process. My stomach flipped by the mere thought. By then, everyone would know of our romantic relationship. We'd be the center of attention. A married couple.

"Is it a little too hard to imagine me as a future husband?" His eyes shone pink. I nodded, vocals feeling too weak to speak.

"A-A little," I managed. He chuckled. "As for marrying you, I accept." I blushed again, heat concentrating on my cheeks. I agreed to be a wife. A bride. The thought of him being my husband for life made me smile. He removed his gloves, softly his hands tracing along my face.

"That warmth," he whispered, his cheek resting against my shoulder. A moment later, he secured my cheeks gently in his soft hands. "Purin, becoming a demon will require strength. It doesn't happen without pain."

"P-Pain?"

"Yes, that is correct. I will warn you now. There will be blood." He closed his eyes, sighing. "It requires both strength and endurance."

"Blood?" My voice weakened. The thought revolted my stomach.

"Not yours Purin," he explained further. "Mine. Being a monster requires the blood of a demon such as myself. My blood would need to be given by a wound but I can manage. By transferring the blood using my mouth, it can be done...I'm so afraid I'll lose control and kill you in the process."

I tenderly embraced him. "I'll do it Meta Knight."

"Not yet though; when there's a holiday. The Master Hand would be concerned if you suddenly couldn't participate in your matches. He doesn't need to know of this. If I remember correctly, he scheduled a two week holiday at the start of September. Perhaps then you will be ready?"

"Yes. I trust you," I whispered softly. "...and always will...forever. As long I live. I love you Meta Knight."

His eyes shone with emotions for a second; I could have sworn his eyes watered and then he pressed his lips to mine. My face felt like it was on fire from blushing. I was really committing to a life as a demon. Bravery I thought was nonexistent finally allowed itself to surface. The feeling was wonderful, beyond anything I've experienced.

I wouldn't change my mind.

I knew what was best for me.

And I wouldn't hold back. In the end, everything would work out. I drifted to sleep in my future husband's warm and secure arms after giving him one last kiss.


	39. Episode Thirty

_Updates may take longer now that the plot is beginning. I almost had Writer's Block when typing this chapter but hopefully it's still enjoyable. The next chapter may not be up for a few days. Hopefully any waits will be worth it. _

_Keep up the awesome reviews;D It helps motivate me to continue with the Season._

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

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**Chapter Thirty Nine**

**Episode Thirty**

_Fear for the Worst, Meta Knight's POV_

Does it really have to be this way?

The one I loved the most, to be torn from her purity and innocence? The thought makes my stomach twist uncomfortably. Jigglypuff, I hope will be strong enough to become a demon. I fear I don't possess that strength myself. I admire her bravery. If I felt that way deep down inside, I would not be as scared to change her into a demon. There would be no way to reverse any damage that is done, the reality of the harsh truth cruel to apply to such a sweet and kind-hearted girl I loved.

Would the feeling still be the same when her lips stroked against mine, the passionate intensity not be affected by her decision? Yet she would still be living, warm and breathing, that if she survives the transformation process. The worst possible outcome lingered in my mind; death but I feared to think about it. Death should not separate us so soon. She knew my life span was higher, her knowledge taking me by surprise.

During my few thousand years, I never imagined falling in love, more the fact my future wife desires to be what I am; a monster. My eyes closed, my face buried in the pillow. The pain I felt about Jigglypuff's transformation, I refused to show in front of her. If I lost my love, my life would mean nothing. She has become a part of my heart; we are inseparable.

Last night, she wanted to sleep with me, against my side. I almost went into shock from the unpredicted gesture. We often slept together rather than in separate beds. At first, it was awkward, but now it feels natural. I kept my armour on the whole time. I hated not only my Kirby look-alike face, but my body. After quite a bit of persuasion of her part, I held her hand everywhere we went, even with others around. At first, we received some surprised and shocked looks but I tried to ignore them, remembering my love was at my side.

No one would expect me to fall in love, a monster designed to kill. When demonic instincts took over, honour became nonexistent. Demons fought to kill and spill blood; cut through the skin of those who are pure. Very soon my own blood would spill in order to change Jigglypuff into a demon. Very sickening, but possible. If I had the strength in myself to believe that it would work out in the end.

To change her would fulfill her dreams of spending her whole life with me for thousands more years. I did not remember how old I was; age was something I never thought about. Yet if I changed her, what would happen to her? Would she ever be able to control the urges to taste blood like I had to on a regular basis? For a beautiful and genuine girl soon to be my wife to suffer through the pain merely to be with me is heartbreaking. I would do anything for her to remain who she is, the way she is now, but reasoning with her is pointless. She is always firm in her decisions. After truly making up her mind, she'd stop at nothing for it to be a reality.

Around her, I try to act normal, like all these thoughts do not sway my mood in the slightest. She is ecstatic I agreed to alter her body into that of a demon; I needed to be there for her to provide support when necessary. I distinctly remember my first experiences as a demon. No one was there to assist me through the pain, rather they encouraged it. A natural part of my destiny so to say. I had no method of controlling my urges to taste blood. As a result, I killed many innocent beings that did not deserve death. It feels wrong for her to experience the very same desires as myself.

Though if she was a demon, I would no longer desire her blood. She would safer from me, that is, if she isn't killed when I change her. I would have no way of hiding the truth from everyone. Should she die, my death will follow. Everything we both wanted so badly was on the line with Jigglypuff's decision. When that time comes, our future will all depend on my strength to control my demon side.

It seemed so long ago when we shared our first conversation.

"_I apologize for frightening you Purin." She stared at me, shocked. I felt uneasy inside. "Is something wrong?"_

"_How do you know my...real name?"_

_I chuckled, smiling behind my mask. "It's a really beautiful name. You should not be ashamed of it." _

"_How did you find out?" She asked, surprise still lingering in her tone. "The others here know me as Jigglypuff."_

"_The Master Hand accidentally let it slip when informing me of my roommate," I said simply. Her pupils shrunk in size slightly._

"_He 'let it slip?'"_

"_On accident mind you, not intentional." I paused, allowing her to calm down for a moment. "Are you ashamed of your name?"_

"_No," she replied. "I prefer Jigglypuff. If you insist on referring me as Purin, do it only when no one else is around." I was confused of what she could be ashamed about. I sighed, nodding. Something caught my attention; a slip of paper in her tight grasp._

"_What is that Purin?" She gasped softly, but I heard it clearly. She hid it behind her back, posture uptight. _

"_Nothing," she replied evasively._

We both changed so much in the last five months being in Super Smash Brothers. Our relationship kept strengthening so much we were considering marriage. The thought scares me, even if we both want it so much. I know I should be hoping for the best instead of fearing for the worst. Jigglypuff already has enough on her mind to worry about without my complicated feelings adding to it.

How much in denial have I been in? Had I ever wanted to say 'I love you' before she mysteriously disappeared last month? I remembered...

"_Meta Knight, I want you to be happy. It saddens me when everyone is enjoying themselves together and every time, you're always by yourself. There's nothing wrong with being involved in activities. If you gave it a chance, you might enjoy yourself."_

"_I'm afraid I cannot do that. It is...difficult. No one would understand," I replied._

"_Maybe not completely, but to an extent, yes we could. We never want to see you hurt."_

"_I am not hurt Purin," I said, maintaining my calm façade. "I apologize if I worry everyone, especially you. You mean so much to me Purin."_

"_You care about me?"_

"_More than I can describe in words. I lo-" When I realized what I was saying, I blushed. I glanced at Jigglypuff, hoping she didn't notice my embarrassment. _

_Jigglypuff hugged me again. "I care about you too." Thankfully, she didn't question why I had abruptly cut off my last sentence. If I had not held back, what would I have said to her?_

I understand now...

When we were out on our first date, had I not stopped myself, my true feelings would have spilled out. She told me she was in love for a long time...back then I could have told her. Even here in the tournament I lose track of time...a result of a long life span. The years fly away in a blink of an eye. The abnormality of being a monster...something else for Jigglypuff to accustom with as a demon. Perhaps when this is all over and if she survives, our dream would come true.

How much time was left before Jigglypuff would have to give up her innocence and purity? Three weeks passed since she made her decision of fate. A week left until her life was on the line; possibly the most life threatening experience she will encounter. I needed to believe in myself. Jigglypuff trusted me to change her and I committed to her wish. By now, there was no looking back, only forward into the future.

My life would be unendurable without the feeling of her lips on mine. Whenever we kissed, I could feel my body shiver from the passion and intensity. Our kisses were more demanding than they had ever been before, almost like we were trying to make the most out of the week we had left. I never knew feeling loved felt so wonderful. Jigglypuff _had_ to live through this. Like she had told me, I needed to believe in myself if this was going to work out. Our relationship and lives depended on this.

"Meta Knight, is something wrong?" I turned to face Jigglypuff, who appeared concerned.

"No, I am fine," I told her.

"You're worried about _that_, aren't you?" She saw through my façade and knew what was troubling me. I nodded, not wanting to voice my feelings aloud. "You're strong enough Meta Knight. I trust you completely. You won't kill me."

I could only nod in response. She believes in me...I had to be strong for her sake. Jigglypuff needs my support and comfort. Next week would be the hardest. All we could do until then was wait and be patient. Very soon, both our lives would be changed forever.


	40. Episode Thirty One

_Sorry for the longer wait. I needed a break off writing and FFN was having another technical glitch.. I'm back in the writing mood again. As pointed out by Mable, I needed something to lighten the mood so this chapter is mainly dedicated to that purpose and more suspense. Hope you like it. Only 12 more chapters left of Season 3! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

_****************************************************************************_

**Chapter Forty**

**Episode Thirty One**

_Departure, Jigglypuff's POV_

My eyes opened just as the sun was rising up in the pale blue sky. Completely alert of my surroundings, I rose up from my bed, neatly folding the covers and headed for the balcony. Meta Knight continued to sleep on his bed, oblivious to the world around him. It was a relief; he had not slept much lately. After carefully closing the curtains without making any noise, I remembered what day it was.

The day I would become a demon. Had three weeks passed so quickly? Excitement rushed through every part of my body. The very day I would be changed forever, to be by Meta Knight's side for as long as we live. I felt both nervous and thrilled at the same time. This afternoon, the holiday truly begins. Everyone else planned on visiting their homelands while Meta Knight and I stayed behind. He told me we would be going someplace different.

At noon, there would be a party, of course, the idea courtesy of Peach. At the Smash Mansion, there were a lot of activities to engage in with others. Meta Knight and I agreed to go together. I almost trembled from being so excited. All these events in one day!

I kept my shawl wrapped around myself. The sun still had not fully rose yet in the chilly early morning September sky. Meta Knight's cape was so much warmer. I smiled just thinking about him...I peeked inside the bedroom through the curtains. He must have been tossing and turning again seeing as the blankets were in danger of falling to the ground. As I approached the side of his bed, I could hear him talk in his sleep.

"Purin...I...love you." I heard him say my name without a doubt. Perhaps he was not having a nightmare after all. I pulled the covers over his body again. I lifted his mask a little bit and quickly kissed him on the lips. Though still asleep, he smiled. Satisfied, I quietly left the room into the dark hallway. I used the elevator to go downstairs, but not preferably. If only I could use a dimensional cape like Meta Knight.

The cafeteria was already decorated for the party. Everyone worked together to get it done yesterday, even the villains. The tables were pushed aside and only then did I realize how much bigger the room was without the furniture in the way. This would be the last day to spend here without being a demon. After tonight, everything would inevitably change for better or for worse.

Too alert to go back to sleep, I wondered down the hallways, savouring my last moments with innocence. Might as well when the others are sleeping. No one will ever know. If the Master Hand knew about what was to happen to me, what would he do? Meta Knight told me his opinion. As far as he knew, he'd be expelled from Super Smash Brothers Brawl.

"_Being a killer is a stressful secret enough, but to transform one into a demon like myself? I would be expelled immediately Purin, banished from the universe, never allowed seeing you again."_

I could not argue with that. Rules were rules. The Master Hand himself might not wish to expel us, but if it's in fine print in the rulebook, we have no choice.

"_If you ever feel you cannot control yourself and may hurt someone, let me know immediately. We can leave the tournament using an excuse from either of our homelands. That way, we'd leave without expulsion and no one would know the truth." _

Meta Knight must have spent many countless hours thinking of our future. When I have a question regarding my transformation, he has an answer. He sometimes tells me what being a demon is like for him as his way of 'preparing me for the unknown.' He worries about this way too much. It was harder on him being in a war, but for me, I'd be supported by the one I love. Our situations are different.

Sunlight shone through the curtains. I pushed them aside and gently opened the window. I savoured the feeling of inhaling the fresh, morning air. There was always a chance I could never experience these moments again. Did demons ever feel anything physically? Yes, they could. I remember how Meta Knight would comment on the warmth of my face when I was blushing.

"_Is it a little too hard to imagine me as a future husband?" His eyes shone pink. I nodded, vocals feeling too weak to speak._

"_A-A little," I managed. He chuckled. "As for marrying you, I accept." I blushed again, heat concentrating on my cheeks. I agreed to be a wife. A bride. The thought of him being my husband for life made me smile. He removed his gloves, softly his hands tracing along my face._

"_That warmth," he whispered, his cheek resting against my shoulder._

One worry crossed of the list. I would still feel things physically rather than be numbed from any sort of touch. I sighed with relief.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, the excited whispers belonging to Peach and Zelda. Perhaps a distraction was what I needed. There was no need to focus solely on my future.

"Hi Jigglypuff!" said Peach.

I smiled. "Hello Peach. Excited for the party?"

"Definitely!"

"Don't mind her," Zelda said. "She ate too much sugar last night."

"That would explain," I replied. That was Peach. Hyper and romance obsessed, clearly two of her most distinct trademarks. Though I don't always agree with her ideas, I appreciate the effort she puts into her commitments. A party is completely perfect. The ultimate distraction.

"She'll be fine," Zelda assured me. "Eventually, she will calm down."

My eyes widened. "With the party in a few hours? I think not!"

Zelda laughed. "True."

I glanced around the room. "Where did Peach go?"

Zelda and I looked at each other for a moment before deciding to find her before she truly did something dangerous from her sugar rush.

**

"You're going with Meta Knight, aren't you?" Ike asked me as soon as I arrived downstairs.

I ignored him as best as I could. My dress attracted more attention than I expected, not that I wanted it at all. I kept a light shawl wrapped around myself all the same. The hallway was crowded with countless couples. The Master Hand gave in to having guests visit for the event. Afterwards, an instant usage of the phones following the announcement. I smiled from the memories. Hopefully I'd remember everything after tonight...

No, I promised myself not to think of that until the time came. This is what I am going to do; enjoy myself while it lasted.

A warm enveloped my body, Meta Knight's warm cape wrapping itself around me. I giggled softly. I gazed upon him, stunned into silence. He looked so handsome for the party in an onyx black cape lined with gold and white edges. A change in his cape colour makes all the difference. Before I knew it, his hands were already on my shoulders, leading me to the dance floor.

I couldn't speak. His dancing skills were extraordinary, like that of a professional. I didn't know what to do, but luckily, he held me in a much secured position.

"All you have to do is enjoy yourself," he whispered. "You will not fall, I promise." I nodded, occasionally swaying back and forth to the music. Brawl music was used of course, starting with the main theme song. I didn't understand the lyrics, but Meta Knight, knowing many languages, translated it to me while we danced. The song came to an end, and in the background, I could hear people clapping, some switching places with other couples.

I didn't even recognize the next song. Meta Knight looked at my confused expression, smiling. Only when the song was halfway over did I realize it was 'VS Marx.' I heard it briefly before in the stadium. In the corner, I spotted Ike grinning in our direction, obviously in one of his 'moods.' Me and Meta Knight were probably the strangest couple in the Smash Mansion. No one could understand how we had grown attached to each other when we were 'opposites.' Perhaps opposites do attract after all.

I did not know how long we were dancing. Songs began and ended and after listening to 'Meta Knight's Revenge' I lost count of how many played. It felt like night being in the cafeteria. The windows were covered with dark, decorative curtains, preventing the outside world from being seen.

As the next song ended, I snuck a glance at the clock. It was a quarter past twelve. We have been dancing for almost three hours straight! Still holding me, Meta Knight sat down on one of the free benches unfortunately next to Ike (still in one of his moods) and let me climb out from his arms.

"Nice moves Meta Knight. I didn't know you could dance," Ike said, still grinning. "Did your girlfriend like it?"

"Ike, shut up please," he replied, taking off a boot. "Now's not the time."

Even after turning away to talk to Marth, I could still see the same mischievous grin.

"Is something wrong Meta Knight?" I asked, after he removed the other boot.

"No, just tired. I do not remember the last time I danced, if I ever did. I suppose I needed a reminder," he said, rubbing a sore foot.

"You danced like a professional!" I told him, surprised it could have been his first time.

"Did I?" He asked, thoroughly confused, but also amused at the same time. Even with the mask on, I could hear him trying to catch his breath. We sat on the bench and I could have sworn I heard Meta Knight hum under his breath. Only when the music was really loud did he sing a few lyrics so only I could hear it.

The party was chaotic but definitely enjoyable. In the end, whatever was left of the buffet table was hammered by Dedede who had been fighting Bowser over something stupid. The result was a crushed table, thankfully with no food and a flattened Olimar who had been passing by at the wrong time. Meta Knight agreed we should stay clear of Ike, who recently had more sugar.

People were packing at two in the afternoon, with their guests hollering at them to hurry up. I almost questioned about packing ourselves but thanks to Meta Knight, he already did it with every possession in his dimensional cape. I would never get used to that. I wish I could have one, but that's impossible.

We left on the Halberd which was, of course, larger than any other vehicle there. He unloaded our belongings into the bedroom. I was given a map of the Halberd so I wouldn't get lost. Conveniently, our dormitory was located near the piloting room.

In just a few hours time...ugh, here I am, dwelling over the future. Again. So much for a distraction. With no party, my thoughts resumed to the transformation process. Meta Knight told me our first stop was to be the forest. Why the forest, of all places? What is he thinking?

"For your transformation, Purin, away from the public." What does he think I would do once I'm changed? Immediately kill innocent creatures? I suppose the process would attract a lot of negative attention. Everyone could still know, even with the holiday. The Master Hand is still at his office. They'd know where to contact him. In this universe, it's very likely almost everyone knew his phone number or his e-mail address.

"I suppose you're right." That was all I could manage. My future was literally up to him now. There was no turning back at this point. I felt a little sick so I decided to rest on my bed until we arrived at the forest. Might as well rest while I still can.

"...sorry for not informing you of our destination...yes, that is the plan...still be in the Smash Universe..."

I could hear bits of conversation through the door. The Master Hand must have called to find out where we would be. Only five more minutes until landing. Strange, one month ago, I wasn't afraid, now I am shaking. Nothing to worry about...I'm becoming what I want to be. I should be happy. The seconds ticked by as my breathing became uneven. My eyes closed as I attempted to distract my mind. Meta Knight did not need to see me like this.

"Purin," he said from outside the door. "We are here."

Dazed, I stood up, pushed all my feelings back and walked out the door to the piloting room. The forest was in plain sight. The very place my life would change forever.

"Follow me," he spoke, though very quietly. I could barely make out his words. After finding the exit and stepping out in the wilderness did he turn my way again.

"What are we doing Meta Knight?" I asked him.

He replied, "We are hiking Purin. Are you ready?"

I nodded, trying to sound exciting. "Sure! Lead the way." With that, we both set off into the forest.


	41. Episode Thirty Two, Part 1

_Thank you all so much for the awesome reviews! I was so excited, I wrote another update for everyone to enjoy. Hopefully you like it. _

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

*******************************************************************************

**Chapter Forty One**

**Episode Thirty Two, Part 1**

_Amendment, Jigglypuff's POV_

The forest was not as treacherous as I imagined. The trails were clear and sunlight easily shining through the trees. I stayed close to Meta Knight's side, still worried more than ever about my commitment to change. I knew what we were doing is right. We both would not be here if that wasn't true.

I still felt afraid of the process though in which I had to endure to change completely. Pain and blood, a nauseating combination. Factors I feared my entire life. I knew and understand pain quite well from my life experiences but compared to what I would soon face, it seemed like a mere slap across the face. Transformation was a knife, cutting through the skin, tearing away the innocence, spilling blood that was once drops of purity.

Of course, while I'm at it, I might as well enjoy myself. I never seen scenery as beautiful as this, the only exception being glistening snow. A simple walk in the forest lasted longer. This one was far from simple; the most concise way to put it. A walk through bliss, love, joy, agony, and pain. Altogether at once.

"Are you ready Purin?"

"Yes, whenever you are."

"Purin...? In so little time, your normal life as you know it is over. Are you afraid?" His gaze was so serious, so stern. I felt like he could see through my calm façade, my emotions visible in front of his eyes.

"A little, but I know it will work out."

Meta Knight extended an arm towards me and wrapped it around my body. "Your last sunset being normal..."

My heart throbbed at his pained expression. His feelings were readable just by looking at his eyes.

"You truly are strong Purin," he said, removing his mask, letting it fall to the ground. His eyes seemed to sparkle. Startled by his sudden display of emotions, I leaned forward to kiss him. It was quick, of course, but fulfilling. As we separated, I saw a tear flow down his cheek and drip on the ground. My jaw dropped slightly from shock.

"Meta Knight, are you crying?" I asked, worriedly. I never saw him this emotionally torn apart. Ever.

"No," he said, biting his lip, holding back any emotion he possessed, withdrawing his sword.

"Purin, do you not remember my blood was required?" He said, taking notice of my shocked expression. Did he mention that...?

"_Yes, that is correct. I will warn you now. There will be blood." He closed his eyes, sighing. "It requires both strength and endurance."_

"_Blood?" My voice weakened. The thought revolted my stomach._

"_Not yours Purin," he explained further. "Mine. Being a monster requires the blood of a demon such as myself. My blood would need to be given by a wound but I can manage. By transferring the blood using my mouth."_

His blood would change me, I remembered distinctly.

"Purin, I am sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"I only said my blood was needed. I was wrong somewhat. You need a small injury in order for the blood to be transferred. Forgive me." His sword inched closer to my hand. Fear froze me in place, preventing me from going anywhere. Briefly, I felt a sharp pain. I looked down to see a small cut on my hand, hardly visible but bleeding.

Galaxia hovered over his arm, I realized with horror. By instinct, I almost shouted at him to stop, but I didn't. I couldn't even speak. His sword slashed downwards so fast I could barely see it. My vision blurred, the only distinct images I could remember what crimson drops dripping to the ground. His whole arm from the elbow down shone with his dark blood. My stomach turned from the revolting sight. People in love weren't supposed to see their future spouse covered in blood. It did not feel right, yet for us to remain together, I had to accept this was what had to be done.

His hand briefly swept across his wound, until it was covered in blood. Only then did I take notice that his gloves were on the ground with his mask. The hand covered his mouth, allowing the blood to completely obscure his lips with the red liquid. The next part would be the hardest. I relaxed my posture as best as I could, to make it easier for him, to let him know I was all right and could endure the pain.

His mouth planted itself over my wounded hand. The blood seared through my veins like a hot knife cutting through every part of my body, tearing it apart piece by piece. I bit my lip as an attempt to stifle the shriek of agony suppressed within me. His anguished expression imprinted itself in my mind and never could I forget such a sad look of heartbreak.

He didn't want to do this to me. He knew it hurt me so much, even though I hardly made a single sound throughout the whole process. At least I wanted to believe I remained strong, but eventually the build up of emotions was too much to hide. When I heard a scream, it took me a moment to realize it was mine. My whole body felt like it was on fire. Every limb burned ten times as my normal body temperature. I never felt anything like this before...

My closed as I waited for the pain to end. Meta Knight's mouth already detached itself from my hand. Every bit of blood was gone from his wound and hand. All that blood through my system. No wonder why the pain was agonizing. My body felt drained of all energy I had left within me.

Completely worn out and in throbbing pain, I collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

--

_My heart pounded heavily inside my tortured body. How long have I been asleep? Or had I passed out? Either way I cannot remember. I could barely move. Any movement was restricted by the binding isolation of throbbing agony._

_The next time I opened my eyes, I found myself all alone in a dark room with only a mirror on the side of the wall. I could stand with no pain at all. My pain was numbed completely. Relieved, I stood up, yet felt something deep inside me...an extraordinary power I had yet to figure out._

_I reached out, only to slide my hand along the mirror when upon my touch, it shattered upon contact. Startled I jumped back, only this time, I found myself on the other side of the room in a mere second. Was I normally this fast?_

_What is happening to me? What had I become?_

_...A demon..._

_--_

I awoke in a cold sweat and shivering. Dazed and confused, I continued to lie down, waiting for my vision to stop spinning. When it did after a few long moments of eerie silence, I recalled my dream. It was just a dream after all. Could I really be a demon? Impossible. I rubbed my sore eyes trying to fully clear my vision. Where was I?

After looking around, I realized I was back on the Halberd, on my bed in the dormitory. Perhaps I was still waiting to arrive at the forest...My eyes instantly opened again after glancing at the clock. Was it night already? Had I slept for that long? Suddenly, I recalled everything from the arrival on the forest, the pain of Meta Knight's blood travelling throughout my body to when I blanked out. He must have brought me back on the ship to rest.

He was sleeping on his bed next to me, clutching the blankets so tight to him, I thought they would tear apart. His mask and gloves lay on the end table beside him. His distress showed on his face; he must feel so conflicted inside after what he did to me. I didn't feel too different yet. I stood up, ignoring the sharp pain spreading throughout my nerves. I needed to find a mirror immediately.

I passed through the hallway to the pilot room. Disappointed I was about to turn back and forgot the whole idea but my appearance reflected in the windshield. The first thing I noticed was my eyes. They were more oval shaped, less round than how they used to be. The blue shined more vibrantly than ever before in my life. Other than that I looked the same, meaning I would not stand out too much when I arrived back to the Smash Mansion when the holiday was over. Would anyone notice the difference of my eyes? No other Jigglypuff ever had oval shaped eyes. Hopefully the news wouldn't be intrigued by that. What excuse would I have to save me from that situation? Deciding not to think about it, I quietly returned to the bedroom.

I knew I could believe in Meta Knight. I did transform into a demon without dying. Never before had I felt so proud of him. I walked over to his bed and leaned closer to his face. He really did look adorable when he slept maskless. His eyes could actually close all the way instead of dulling down to amber with his mask on.

"Thank you so much Meta Knight," I whispered, kissing him on the cheek. "The worst part is over, you can relax now." I could have sworn I saw him smile as I turned away, needing to sleep myself. His arms unexpectedly wrapped around me as an embrace. Eventually he held me close to him on his bed. I was too shocked to protest the unexpected gesture. This time, sleeping against him felt different than last time. With no mask between us, our cheeks were pressed together. Once in a while he would talk in his sleep, the only word I could make out was my name.

I knew I spoke his name when I slept. Meta Knight reminded me each time and when I responded by blushing, he kissed my cheek every time. He told me many times before he liked the warmth of my face. Was it really normal to say that to one another in a regular conversation? Very rarely had I seen his face glow red when he was embarrassed. Then again, he wears the mask almost all the time, preventing me from seeing his face as much as I wanted to.

As much as I tried, I never felt tired for the rest of the night. I continued to lean against Meta Knight, who was fast asleep and unresponsive to his surroundings.

Yet inside, I continued to experience the same unusual strength within my body. Deep down I knew I had not finished transforming into a demon fully. What would I be like when the process was fully complete? As of now, I no longer was a Jigglypuff, at least in my opinion that's how I viewed myself. Now I was a demon, a future wife engaged to perfect Meta Knight.

Deciding not to dwell on my transformation, I cast aside all thoughts related to subject. The worst was over, there was still a whole holiday to enjoy.

--

"_Is it truly over?" I whispered to Meta Knight. He held my hand._

"_Not yet Purin," he said. "The process takes time; perhaps it will not be complete for a couple months. It depends. Promise me you will do your best to remain strong. Do not make the same mistakes I did when I was learning to control myself. I hurt those who did not deserve the pain. Do not the do the same."_

"_Meta Knight, this...will work out...won't it? In the end, we...will be..."_

"_Yes Purin, it will be all right." His hand stroked along my curl. My face flushed from the touch. "When this is all over and your transformation is finished, I suppose it will be possible."_

_I hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much Meta Knight! I love you."_

"_I love you too," he whispered. I was startled to see tears shining in his eyes. He hardly ever shed a tear in his life. My hand touched along his face, leaning forward to kiss him._

"_I promise to remain strong...for your sake and mine."_


	42. Episode Thirty Two, Part 2

_I had writer's block when writing this. Sorry the update's late. When the Season is done, I'll write a Meta KnightxSamus story. There's a poll up deciding if it should be a couple chapters or a oneshot. _

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

_********************************************************************_

**Chapter Forty Two**

**Episode Thirty Two, Part 2**

_Romantic Night Out, Meta Knight's POV_

"Could you tell me what the surprise is?"

I chuckled. "No, I cannot do that Purin. A surprise is supposed to remain secret."

"But why? You've been secretive all day!" Jigglypuff replied. "I need to know what's going on."

"You will find out soon, I promise." I quickly kissed her on the cheek, my face flushed somewhat. At the moment, I decided to leave my mask off. Though I hated my appearance, I did not mind it as much as before, especially around Jigglypuff. Her face flushed the same shade of crimson as we both leaned forward to kiss again, fully on the lips. My hands rested on her shoulders, hers touching my cheeks.

Our lips parted a few moments later, both Jigglypuff and myself out of breath. She sighed.

"All right, you win. I'll be patient."

"That is a relief," I replied. She stuck her tongue out at me. I laughed, Jigglypuff soon joining in. "We are almost there Purin. I apologize that you have had to wait all day."

"You don't have to be sorry for that," she said. "I know the surprise will be worth it." I would have responded but Jigglypuff's mouth was on mine, in another kiss which I gladly accepted. Once we separated, I steered the Halberd the last few minutes, Jigglypuff leaning on my shoulder. I did not mind in the slightest.

The sun was setting once again, the view breathtaking from such a height. The Halberd landed slowly on the ground, in the parking lot of the drive-in movie theatre. Jigglypuff was literally glued to the windshield in pure shock.

"Meta Knight, this is so amazing! I-I can't believe..."

"Was the surprise worth it, my dear Purin?" She nodded, eyes watering from joy.

"Oh, Meta Knight, this is so sweet of you! Thanks so much!" She rested in my arms again. I was certain my heart would melt.

"You're welcome," I managed, my vocals weak.

I drove the Halberd to the front doors to pay for the movie. The man looked somewhat familiar...the same black t-shirt, jeans...could it be who I thought it was?

"What movie have the both of you decided to see?" Bob asked from below.

"_Love Below the Horizon_," Jigglypuff responded.

"As for the payment-" I took out a handful of coins from my cape and dropped them out from the windshield. To my horror, they landed on Bob's head, each with a loud thud. He let out a startled yelp of pain.

"What was that for?" He asked, eyes wide.

"I-I am sorry!"

"Don't worry about it. You may pass." As the Halberd was steered to the movie, I could have sworn I saw an imprint of a coin on Bob's forehead.

I heard a laugh from behind me. Knowing it was Jigglypuff, I turned to face her. "What is so funny?"

"Did you do that on purpose?" She asked, still laughing. "Did you see the look on Bob's face when the coins hit him?" My face flushed as she continued laughing.

"That was an accident!" I protested. "Did you expect me to take a few minutes trying to find the exit on the Halberd just to pay a few coins to watch a movie? I think not."

"Meta Knight, you're blushing," she stated. I turned away so my cheeks were out of her view.

"I'm sorry," I said. My embarrassment grew when her laughs echoed through the pilot room.

"Why are you apologizing about blushing Meta Knight?" She asked, smiling. "There's nothing to be ashamed about. In fact, when you blush, you're even cuter."

"I am not," I replied, though refusing to let her see my bright red face. I steered the Halberd into the parking lot, thankfully distracting my mind from my embarrassment. I lead Jigglypuff into the outdoor theatre, not looking at Bob as we were passing by. I wish I had my mask on at the moment. I felt everyone was staring at my face.

"No one's staring at you," Jigglypuff said. "If anything, they would think you're cute."

"That makes me feel _so much better_," I replied, sarcastically. She giggled.

We sat down next to each other in the seats, hand holding. Above us, the full moon shone brightly in the starry sky. The movie was very touching, even for me. The main characters had fallen in love after so many hardships, and in the end they both died. As they lay on the ground, their hands were holding the others, even when they were no longer living.

The movie reminded me of so many haunting memories, like my friends dying everywhere I could see. I knew how the characters felt, their emotions I could easily relate to. When the movie ended, my cheeks felt wet. Only then did I realize I had been crying. Completely humiliated, I hastily wiped the tears away with my gloved hand.

Jigglypuff didn't notice my tears, fortunately. She never saw me cry before. I'd never be able to forgive myself if she saw me display any emotion so shamefully. Her face was glazed with tears as well. I wiped them away softly with my hand, the other holding her free one as we left the theatre. I carried her in my arms all the way to the bedroom dormitory.

As she lay down on her bed, sorting through her belongings, I needed some time alone in the piloting room. I made sure there was no evidence I was crying earlier, looking at my reflection carefully in the windshield. My eyes were light pink to my dismay. Hopefully Jigglypuff wouldn't notice.

I took my time, wandering through the hallways back to the bedroom. By the time I opened the door, I heard gentle music echoing through the room. Quietly I entered the room, closing the door behind myself. Jigglypuff never heard me coming in. She was facing the opposite direction, swaying back and forth, almost like a dance.

Her eyes widened when she saw I was there. "Meta Knight, you scared me! You should warn me before you do that."

"Is it really my fault you were unobservant Purin?" She blushed under my gaze.

"The Master Hand gave me a copy of the Smash Brothers songs," Jigglypuff replied. "I suppose I was too focused on my dancing to have noticed you coming in. I'm sorry."

My hand reached for hers, holding it in a secure and gentle grasp. "Would you care to dance with me?" I asked, with no hesitance. Her face instantly brightened with her beautiful smile.

"Sure, I would love to! Ready when you are!" My hands were on her waist while hers rested on my shoulders. We swayed back and force to a slow dancing song. I wasn't that experienced in dancing. I knew for certain anything other than slow dancing would cause me to fall over. Jigglypuff remained in my arms, and I wished we could be here, holding each other forever. Most likely, we had thousands of years to be together before our life span would give out. Demons were mortal, but lived longer than other creatures.

The next song demanded a quicker pace. I shot a worried glance in Jigglypuff's direction, the response being a small smile.

"You aren't afraid of going a little faster Meta Knight?"

"No, of course not. Ready when you are." She smiled at me.

"That's my line," she replied, tone bubbly. I knew she was flattered. I almost fell backwards a couple times, barely able to stop myself from landing on the floor face first. My hands trembled slightly, embarrassing myself the last thing I wanted to happen. I nearly tripped over my feet a couple times and I knew Jigglypuff was aware of that. She was more graceful at dancing fast than I was.

The next thing I knew, I was lying down on top of Jigglypuff, lips against her shoulder, my blushing cheeks against hers. For a moment, I went into shock until I realized what happened. I fell down, to my dismay. My embarrassment showed clearly on my face. To cover up for it, I buried my face against her shoulder, arms wrapped around her. I neglected to get up off her body but the moment was too serene for me to pull away.

Her face went beet red as did mine when I realized what we were doing. All my thoughts could drift to was to get up off of Jigglypuff immediately but my body demanded otherwise. The feeling of being close...never had it felt so...strong. Restraining my emotions and desires never had been so hard in my life. Regretting my decision inside, I lifted myself off Jigglypuff, looking away from her eyes.

"...sorry..." I whispered, thankfully not blushing. Jigglypuff's whole face was red though, on the contrary.

"It wasn't your fault," she replied. "That was your first time dancing fast so..." She stopped in mid-sentence. Apparently, I also had a loss of words, unable to respond. Our closeness wiped my mind of the dancing a few minutes previously.

Jigglypuff turned the CD off, putting it back in the dresser. Had I not been so clumsy we would still be dancing. I left to pilot the Halberd again as an excuse to be alone for a while. Why had I been so hesitant to simply stand up? The feeling that spread through my whole body was not like anything I ever experienced before, not even during our first kiss.

The holiday passed by so quickly. Tomorrow everyone would be arriving back at the Smash Mansion, the following day scheduled with brawls. The thought of fighting again was a quick stab to my heart. My whole life had been fighting. Why did it hurt me inside to step upon the stadium again?

Maybe...I wanted to live a happy life with the one I loved, like any other couple. Do couples normally fight in a tournament against their friends, a reason being to satisfy the fans? The very thought twisted my stomach from disgust. For a moment I considered not going back to the Smash Mansion, but my hands would not comply with my anger. Why did the Master Hand invite strangers from different universes just to fight? It felt wrong, considering the hardships some of them went through.

Jigglypuff was a veteran Smasher, suffering one loss after the other for three tournaments. Inside, she must feel terrible about herself. If her trainer had abused her, I cannot imagine how that must feel. I knew the Master Hand knew nothing of her past. She would have been treated differently, being pitied; a result she would never wish for. Her past must be horrible if she does not want to talk about to anyone, including me. Yet she still had to fight strangers countless times and be defeated almost every match.

"Why must she suffer so much?!" When I turned around, Jigglypuff stood in the doorway, in her nightgown, confused.

"Meta Knight...why..."

"I am fine Purin."

"Don't lie to me! You're obviously not 'fine.'" She took hold my shoulders forcing me to face her, eye to eye. I trembled in her grasp. Why had my anger affected me so? I could not tell Jigglypuff my worries, at least the ones relating to our participation in the Smash Brothers tournament.

"Purin, I deeply apologize, but I cannot...Forget I said anything." Sighing, I leaned against Jigglypuff's shoulder. She embraced me so gently and comforting, I felt like crying. Thankfully my face was hidden against her shoulder so she didn't see.

There was no excuse for me to behave this way. My emotions overpowered me so many times in the last couple months. I needed to maintain control over my feelings. If not, I shudder to think of the consequences.

"Meta Knight, it's not healthy to hide your emotions like that," Jigglypuff said. "I know I could take my own advice, but...eventually I plan on telling you what happened to me. You need to realize it's okay to feel emotions. Everyone else does. You are not an exception from any other living being."

"Purin, I...understand. Perhaps someday, I will tell you, but for now...this I have to keep to myself at the present moment. I apologize."

She sighed. _"Meta Knight...why must you suffer so much?"_


	43. Episode Thirty Three

_I had more writer's block but I managed to finish the chapter. Hopefully you like the new update. Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed to far! I appreciate the feedback;D_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

_********************************************************************_

**Chapter Forty Three**

**Episode Thirty Three**

_Inner Turmoil, Jigglypuff's POV_

My hand grasped the armrest of the chair from anxiety. In nearly two hours, the Halberd would arrive at the Smash Mansion. Both excitement and fear rushed through every vein in my body. My friends I would finally see again. It felt like the holiday had been longer than two weeks but rather a month. The fact brawling would resume the following day didn't ease my growing anxiety. Fighting again...Not a pleasant thought to dwell upon. I might as well _try_ to enjoy my last couple hours on the Halberd.

However, Meta Knight said not a word since I last confronted him. Yet he behaved no differently than usual. He wore his mask again immediately before we went to bed last night. I dearly missed gazing at his precious face. His eyes dazzled me more without the mask in the way.

I lessened my grip on the chair as Meta Knight glanced over his shoulder from the steering wheel as not to let him see my distress. I felt so sorry for him, noticing his tension stiffening up his posture. If only he would tell me what was on his mind rather than internalize the emotions and worries inside.

"_It is not for you to worry about." _He always said that when he discarded his emotions and not let me know what was troubling him. Inside I hated his secrecy with a passion. For him to suffer as not to worry me as the opposite effect. My worry grows rapidly until I feel I can contain my anxiety no longer. Most of the time, he refuses to say a word on the subject.

I felt like I would lose control any moment. He tries to hide his pain and sorrow but I know it still lingers in his mind and torments him deeply. He doesn't have to endure that. He could tell me anything and I would never think of him any differently than I do now.

Time passed slowly. I never could recall the last time I remembered a moment to last so long...

When I was not constantly worried about Meta Knight, I would be afraid, thinking about returning to the Smash Mansion. I was now a demon. I had to be careful with my emotions and keep my new identity a secret from everyone else I knew. What had it been like for Meta Knight, before I knew he was a demon himself? He couldn't let anyone know even if it meant living in secrecy and isolation. I could not imagine the depression he'd feel.

I leaned against the armrest, mind tired from thinking so hard. The best thing to do now was to relax. My mind remained blank, and by now, I lost track of the time. When my eyes opened again, I felt Meta Knight's hand on my shoulder.

We were back. Anxiety never hit me harder than it did now. My body shook as I stood from the chair. Meta Knight held me close, the warmth reassuring me I was not alone.

"Purin, what is the matter?"

"Meta Knight, would...anyone notice I've become a demon?"

He paused for a moment, as if unsure of himself. Meeting my gaze again, he whispered, "No." I wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or not.

"No one would...ever find out?"

"As long as you maintain control over your instincts, it will be all right. Though an urge for blood is harder to endure, it is possible to hold back. Remember, no one else is to know of this. Our existence in the tournament, or even life at all for that matter, depends on that."

I nodded, my confidence recovering a little. "I'll never tell anyone else. Even if my life depended on it."

His eyes shone a light shade of blue for a moment and I knew he was smiling behind the mask. He raised his mask slightly, high enough for his mouth and cheeks to be seen then kissed me on the lips. I let him take my breath away from me as we savoured the moment. Gently he let go, his mask completely covering his face again.

"Are you ready Purin?" I nodded, my heart still racing from the passion of our kiss. He led me to the Halberd's exit, holding my hand the entire way.

When we approached the main doors, he let go, not taking the risk of others seeing. Not only must our identities be a secret, but also our relationship. It was maddening. So many times we could go downstairs to the cafeteria together, hand holding. The daydreams still remain fresh in my mind. I dreamt of those perfect moments many times before, but deep inside, it was heartbreaking they would never be a reality in the tournament.

The a few other Smashers were in the main room, apparently in the middle of a party. Peach and Zelda were the first ones I saw. Meta Knight already left to our bedroom to unpack our possessions.

"Hi Jigglypuff!" Peach said, again having eaten too much sugar. "How was your holiday?"

"Very enjoyable, how was yours?" I replied.

She was about to respond when Zelda cut in. "You wouldn't want to know," she said.

Confused, I asked, "Why not?"

Zelda led me to the other side of the room, away from Peach. "I suppose I can tell you, but as long as you don't tell anyone else. I had originally planned on spending the holiday in Hyrule with Link and Ganondorf. The day we were packing after the party, it wasn't enjoyable. Ganondorf and Link kept arguing the whole time, not bothering to see how I was doing. Those two never got along. Both in an argument, there was no way I could get them to stop. Peach then asked me if I wanted to go with her and some of her other friends. I agreed, glad to be away from those two. It wasn't so bad at first, seeing as I can get along well with Mario and Yoshi, but everything went downhill the first night. Though succeeding in avoiding Link and Ganondorf, I ended up with Wario and Bowser."

"That's...awful," I said.

"That wasn't the worst part. Every night, Peach would eat too much sugar and get hyper. Unfortunately, I ended up as her roommate. As if that wasn't bad enough..." Zelda was whispering now. "Bowser was hitting on me."

My jaw almost hit the floor. "W-What? Bowser was hitting on you!?"

"Regrettably, yes. I thought no one else could be worse than Ganondorf, but I suppose I was wrong."

"Ganondorf has competition now, I guess," I said under my breath.

"Did you say something?"

"Um no, I didn't," I fibbed. Zelda looked at me strangely.

"What happened to your eyes?" Her voice showed worry and concern. I remembered now my eyes would be noticeable to others. Meaning I'd have to lie to everyone.

"It's a part of evolution, nothing serious. It's a phase." Not the best excuse I came up with but at the moment, it was satisfying enough. Zelda no longer looked worried, but relieved.

"I had thought you were hurt at first, but...thank goodness." Zelda looked around the room. "Where did Peach go? She was right here a minute ago."

"If you're looking for her, she's eating more sugar," I replied, immediately noticing her at the buffet table, holding as much candy as she could carry.

The party progressed on during the hour, more Smashers returning to the tournament. I never realized how much I missed everyone else, how reassuring their company was. As not to be interrogated about my eyes, I decided to go upstairs to my room. If I would be questioned countless times, I might as well relax first.

I closed the curtains, slightly darkening the room. When I turned to lay down on my bed, I noticed Meta Knight seemed to be sleeping there. Too much in shock, my ability to speak was temporary nonexistent. His eyes opened, flashing pink. Instantly, I felt a twinge of annoyance.

"Did I startle you, my dear Purin?" I nodded, still unable to speak a word.

"W-Why...why are..." I managed to say.

"Laying down here in your bed, is that what you mean?" Again, I nodded. "I would have slept in my own bed, but..." He sighed contentedly. "...your scent simply attracted me so. Ever since the first night you slept here..." My face felt like it was on fire from blushing so hard.

"My scent...?"

"It always does linger, even in your absence." He glanced at my red face before I could hide it. His arms wrapped around me and I landed on the bed beside him. As he wrapped the blanket around us both, I removed his mask and surprisingly, he allowed me to and didn't protest. Our lips touched, our bodies close together for warmth. Gently I stroked along his face. His eyes closed; a sign he was enjoying the moment. However, mine remained open. Any second to gaze at Meta Knight's face with no mask in the way, I enjoyed immensely.

Eventually, my eyes began to close, exhausted from the party and travelling. Meta Knight already fell asleep, leaning against my shoulder, one hand holding to mine. My lips touched along his face, and as they were about to make contact with his, there was a knock at the door...and it was no Smasher on the other side.

Moment ruined, I stood up, Meta Knight awakening, desperately trying to find his mask. After I readjusted the blanket, I reached for the doorknob and opened it, anxious inside.

"Jigglypuff, could I speak to you for a moment?" the Master Hand asked. I nodded, tightly grasping my shawl.

Most likely, this would not end well.

**

_Why did everyone have to be curious? Or to be exact, why do they like to pry into one another's business? Every day in the stadium was the same, but with each match, I felt an irresistible desire, one for blood. It was the exact same struggle Meta Knight had to endure on a consistent basis. If I knew it was so hard..._

_Fans screamed once again as the matches ended in the stadium. I was one of the Smashers who had fought in the arena today, winning yet another match. Everyone was amazed at my sudden display of victory, but for some strange reason, I did not care in the slightest. Why should it all matter?_

_My eyes were no longer the center of attention as September drifted into October. Might I say, the questions did repeat over and over. I used the same story ever time about evolution. I knew the other Pokemon here probably knew I was lying, but as not to be suspicious, I maintained the same story each time._

_My relationship with Meta Knight continued to strengthen even deeper. We did agree on marriage last summer as we were to be together as long as we lived. I could never imagine him as a husband or me, a wife. Our relationship still remained a secret. We only showed affection with each other when the both of us were alone. So many opportunities when we could be together more often..._

_So much secrecy in my life...I never felt sorrier for Meta Knight than I do now. He understands how I feel, experiencing the same pain himself._

_Physically I was well until after the first week of October. My back ached constantly, burning so much, I almost cried. Around others, I held it all inside, and with Meta Knight, he tried to help comfort me as best as he could. Not even he knew what was happening, not recalling an experience like mine in his life._

_The pain was so much, I didn't feel nervous when he pushed my shawl aside. All I wanted was for it to end. Was this what becoming a demon was about? Yet I could only stay with Meta Knight by transforming._

_Until now, I managed to keep control but eventually, one has their personal breaking point. I felt as though mine was vastly approaching me...any second, I could lose myself._

_Hours passed, and I lay on the bed with Meta Knight, in constant pain. It did help when he embraced me as a reminder I was not to endure this alone._

_When the sun went down the next day, the pain was no longer endurable. The one night we both slept separately had to be when I could resist no longer._


	44. Episode Thirty Four

_I hope you like the new chapter! I was going to update this chapter next week but I changed my mind. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! _

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

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**Chapter Forty Four**

**Episode Thirty Four**

_Development, Meta Knight's POV_

My eyes remained closed but I never slept despite what position I was in. Every few minutes, I would toss and turn when memories flooded my mind and twisting my thoughts into horrible nightmares. My hands grasped my blanket tightly as sweat dripped off my face like tears. I wiped away the moisture before closing my eyes once again, hoping for sleep. A burning sensation throbbed my forehead even though cold sweat continued to pour down my face onto my pillow.

Voices echoed in my mind in demonic, taunting whispers. My body shivered under the covers, my hands shaking. I opened my eyes, breathing in and out slowly, trying to calm down. The dark bedroom possessed an eerie, unnerving silence. I could only hear the strong gusting wind from outside rattling the balcony doors.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes. I still felt oddly uncomfortable even with my mask off. My forehead continued to ache as I searched through the bathroom cupboards for a small towel. I turned on the faucet until the cloth was completely drenched in cold water. The cool, refreshing cloth soothed my forehead a little, dulling the pain. My heart rate slowed to a regular and calm pace.

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, noticing how distressed I was. Dark shadows lingered underneath my eyes from sleep deprivation. My cheeks were flushed to a shade of cherry red while my reflection looked back at me with a startling solemn expression.

Had I been depressed ever since Jigglypuff became a demon? The worry for her well being overwhelmed me more than ever before. In the past, she was still pure but willingly sacrificed her innocence to remain at my side. The cold cloth still pressed against my forehead, I made my way back to bed, only to feel a strange chill spread throughout my entire body.

I glanced over at Jigglypuff's bed only to find it vacant, the blankets in an untidy pile. A pang of fear struck my heart as I carefully examined the pillow. Was that stain on the pillow _blood_? My fists tightened, tossing the pillow onto the ground, aggravated. I needed to find Jigglypuff immediately, dreading inside she was hurt. Her demon side most likely...I shuddered, the mere thought frightening. Quietly, I opened the door and entering the hallway, the same disturbing silence haunting me with every step.

From downstairs, I heard a distinct clatter of dishes breaking and furniture falling over. My pace quickened to the cafeteria, confirming my fears. I frantically kept pushing the elevator buttons, but it refused to work, emitting a loud beep. I desperately used my dimensional cape, reappearing in the cafeteria. I shivered, the empty room giving off another eerie vibe. Glass was shattered on the floor, a couple chairs lying on the dented ground.

As I approached the porch, I heard a terrified scream pierce through the silence. "Purin!" I called out, turning around the corner to find her lying on the ground, blood pouring from her back at a rapid rate.

"N-No, d-don't come any c-closer," she whispered. I barely could hear her response.

"Purin, what happened to you?!" I asked, horrified. As I took another step forward, a broken piece of glass pierced through my boot. I gasped, landing on more broken shards, cutting through my arms and face.

"Meta Knight!" She screamed. My vision blurred from the sight of my own blood dripping onto the floor. I forced myself to stand, limping over to her side.

"Purin, what happened?" I happened to force through my vocals. My hands were placed over her wound, trying to stop the flow of blood.

I heard footsteps rapidly approach in our direction. I wrapped my cape around myself to hide my injuries.

"What happened here?!" the Master Hand asked, the other Smashers following close behind. Gasps echoed throughout the porch.

"Master Hand, Jigglypuff's hurt badly!" I told him. "She needs to go to the hospital immediately!"

Jigglypuff was bandaged by Peach and Zelda who happened to find the first aid kit. Even the villains felt sorry for her. My heart throbbed seeing my love in so much pain, wrapped in bandages.

"We need to bring her to Nintendoville," Zelda said to the Master Hand. "Jigglypuff can't be treated here."

"It is not a problem. We should be able to walk there. It's not far."

The Master Hand was right. It only took us no more than five minutes to find the hospital. So far, no one knew of my injuries. I wrapped the cape tighter around my sore body.

Jigglypuff was accepted for treatment instantly. We sat down in the waiting room. The others spoke amongst themselves but I stayed as far away as the room allowed me to be. I isolated myself in a corner, the images of Jigglypuff covered in blood repeating in my mind.

It was my fault she's here in the hospital. I'm not sure whether to regret changing her into a demon. The confliction inside is dreadful. I know from experience the torture craving for blood and desiring pain upon others; those who are still pure.

"Daddy, poyo!" I looked up to see Kirby sitting down beside me. He...called me daddy...Why would he...think of me as a father figure? He leaned against me, on my injured arm still hidden by the cape. The pain was so unexpected, I could not hold back a gasp of agony.

"K-Kirby! M-My arm!" Many others turned my way, I realized with horror. I could feel my body tremble. Kirby pulled away, a look of confusion on his face.

The others didn't speak, their expressions shocked or surprised. Confused, my body tilted sideways. What was there to be surprised about?

"Awwww!" Peach squealed. "He's so cute!"

I gasped when I realized the absence of metal on my face. I forgot to put it back on when I left the bedroom. I turned away, face beet red. As I walked away, the blood on my foot dripped on the ground. Gasping, I fell over, releasing the cape. I could hear everyone gasp, rushing over to my side.

"Master Hand! Meta Knight's hurt!"

I bit my lip, afraid. Would he be angry I hid my injuries from everyone? My body was lifted off the floor onto a hospital bed by the time I could open my eyes again. A curtain surrounded my bed for privacy. I was grateful, mainly because I needed to be alone, without anyone staring at me. My injured foot was solidly wrapped in bandages, making any kind of movement impossible.

My eyes closed and to my surprise, I felt exhausted. Hoping I would fall asleep, I relaxed, the soft mattress lessening up my tense muscles. I drifted into unconsciousness, for once, my mind completely blank.

**

I awoke, at first not knowing where I was. Shortly after, I remembered the situation. Jigglypuff bleeding on the floor, being hurt falling down on broken glass, the hospital...I groaned, trying to sit up, my mind still tired, unable to think straight.

When the nurse pushed aside the curtains, I glanced at the clock, realizing I slept four hours. Still tired, I leaned back on the pillow.

"Are you feeling any better?" She asked me, changing the bandages on my arms. I smiled for the first time since I could remember.

"A little," I replied. "Is Jigglypuff all right?"

"She's fine. I checked on her this morning and she told me she felt perfectly normal other than her back aching. Jigglypuff's been worried about you though. When I told her you were injured too, she was completely distraught. I asked her if she recalled where you were at the time but she didn't remember anything of the incident."

"I'm glad she's okay, but..." I bit my lip. "She doesn't remember anything of what happened last night whatsoever?"

"No, she couldn't recall a thing. We suspected it was short term memory loss, but we're not completely sure."

"That is a possibility," I agreed. My stomach growled from hunger, reminding me I neglected to eat anything yesterday.

"Hungry?" she asked. I nodded, stomach growling again. "It will only take a few minutes. I won't be gone long." She finished bandaging my arm and left the room. The door opened shortly after and to my surprise, it was Jigglypuff. She gently hugged me, careful with my injuries.

"Meta Knight, thank goodness you're all right! I've been so worried about you!" Jigglypuff said, crying from relief. My other hand reached toward her face, drying the tears. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault we're here."

"Your fault? No, it is not."

"...I'm so sorry...! Had I told you what was happening to me, we wouldn't be here."

"Do you remember what happened? The nurse told me you couldn't remember anything of the incident last night and thought you had short term memory loss."

"Meta Knight, I-I lied," Jigglypuff confessed. "If I told them what happened, everyone would know I've become a demon. We could be expelled from the tournament and separated on our home planets. It would be too dreadful to endure."

"Purin, I understand. Thank you so much for not telling anyone. I agree the outcome would be dreadful."

Jigglypuff nodded. "You saw what happened didn't you? My back..."

"Yes, I did," I replied.

"I know why that happened but if I was to tell you the truth, you can't tell anyone!"

"I promise," I vowed.

Jigglypuff took a step back, looking down at the ground. I opened my mouth to speak when something most shocking took place. Two light pink demonic, yet small wings sprouted from her back. My eyes widened, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe.

"Y-You have wings," I whispered.

Her wings folded into her back, out of sight. "My back bled so much because they were starting to develop for the first time. I was so scared. I didn't know what was going on. If anyone saw my wings, I don't know what I would have done."

"Purin, it will be all right. It takes time and patience to adjust to becoming a demon. In the end, it will work out." I slowly sat up, my hand touching her cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered, her lips inching closer to mine. Heart racing, I leaned forward, eyes closing. Our lips briefly touched a moment before the door opened again. Me and Jigglypuff pulled away, embarrassed. The nurse giggled, bringing my lunch to the end table.

"Sorry I'm late." The nurse glanced at my still flushed face. "Was I interrupting something?"

"No, not at all. Thank you," I said, though irritated deep down. She nodded, still giggling softly.

"How cute," I heard her whisper.

Once she was gone, I self consciously began eating a mouthful of soup. Jigglypuff sat down beside me, smiling. I ate without saying a word, too tongue-tied to frame a sentence. For a moment, we stared into each other's eyes. Too captivated by her beauty, I lifted the spoonful to my mouth, missing completely, the broth dripping on my cheek. I blushed, looking away.

Jigglypuff quickly kissed me on the lips, her hand drying my cheek. I opened my mouth only to stutter. She smiled, hands securely holding me in place. Realizing her intentions, I kissed her until I was out of breath. Inside, I felt light and so...happy.

Carefully, I stood, careful on my injured foot. If only I had not neglected to wear my mask. The thought of everyone seeing my face again was humiliating. I leaned on Jigglypuff for support, unable to walk on my bandaged foot.

"Purin," I whispered. "I promise not to tell anyone about our conversation earlier. It will always be between the two of us."

"Thank you so much for understanding." She briefly kissed one more time. "The others must be worried. Let's go." Yet as we headed back to the main room, deep down I knew it would no longer be easy hiding the truth from the others.


	45. Episode Thirty Five, Part 1

_Sorry for the short chapter. There will another tropical storm soon so I had to hurry when writing this. Hopefully it doesn't suck. If it does, I can revise it when I'm done the Season. _

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

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**Chapter Forty Five**

**Episode Thirty Five, Part 1**

_Continuous Secrecy, Meta Knight's POV_

None of us said a word as we made our way back to the main room. To face the others again is a humiliating experience with my face exposed. I no longer had a reason to be respected anymore. Everyone now knew I was regrettably a Kirby look-alike.

Afraid, I held onto Jigglypuff's hand tighter. She gently squeezed back with understanding. Her hand turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. Heart pounding, I walked back into the main room as ready as I could be to face the others. What I expected was everyone to focus entirely on my face, but to my luck, they did not.

"You're both okay!" Peach said. "You had everyone worried!"

"Peach, I am sorry. I was careless, I guess," Jigglypuff said.

"Jigglypuff, it was not your fault, we understand that," Zelda spoke up. "You should rest though for a couple days at least before brawling again. You too, Meta Knight."

"I am fine," I said, looking away from the others, my cape hiding my face from everyone else' sight. I did not intend to lose the remaining dignity I had left. "I can manage."

"Meta Knight, we know you're hurting too. You should rest a couple days before fighting again. I'm sure the Master Hand would agree." Many others nodded in agreement.

"Are you sure? I am capable of fighting, even in my current condition," I said.

"Zelda's right. You should rest too," Jigglypuff said, holding onto my arm. "You don't have to hide that you're in pain. We know it hurts even though you refuse to let it show." I gazed at her, both confused and touched at the same time. I leaned against Jigglypuff, my foot throbbing too much to endure anymore. As we headed back to the Smash Mansion, I hoped I was not blushing. My hand rested on Jigglypuff's back the whole time we walked alongside the Smashers. No one could see us exchanging romantic gestures with each other.

A thought suddenly struck my mind. Jigglypuff is developing wings of her own, a similar experience I had in the past. Yet I recall nothing from that memory, not even the pain. She needed to learn how to use her wings properly and when to hide them. Finding a time and area to teach her would be rather difficult. I dwelled on the thought until we arrived back at the Smash Mansion.

"If you need anything, feel free to ask us," Ike said, thankfully in one of his sane moods.

"We will," Jigglypuff replied. "Thank you."

Only when we rested on our beds did a plan cross my mind; one that might actually work. Jigglypuff got up from her bed and nuzzled against my side. I decided to leave my mask off while we slept. It was only Jigglypuff and I at the moment. There was no reason to hide my face when we were alone.

No dreams disturbed my mind as I slept peacefully with Jigglypuff in my arms, resting against my cheek. She had been careful not to hurt my injured foot. I showed the same consideration for her back. By the time we woke up, the sun had fully disappeared beyond the horizon. Had we been unconscious the entire day?

Jigglypuff stroked my cheek. "Your eyes have been green a lot lately. What's on your mind?"

"Nothing much," I said, unsure whether I should tell her or not.

Jigglypuff hugged me, the unexpected gesture taking me completely by surprise. "I understand, but...you should not keep everything to yourself. You aren't alone and never will be ever again."

"Hmmm, that is true. If you are truly intent on hearing me out..."

"Yes Meta Knight, I am."

I hesitated for a second. "Purin...do you...know how to use your wings properly?"

She blinked in surprise. "No, I haven't thought about that. I suppose I should learn how, especially without the others finding out."

"Once we both are recovered and your wings are fully developed, I will teach you how to use them," I told her. "You would not mind learning during night time? It would be best to do this when everyone else is asleep if this secrecy is to last."

"I agree. I have no problem with it," she said. Silence remained between us for a few minutes before Jigglypuff spoke up again. "If anyone saw my wings, would the whole truth be revealed?"

"Unfortunately that would be true. The Master Hand would be intent on hearing every detail. Most likely we would be expelled upon the discovery we are both demons. The very fact I myself transformed you is enough for the both of us to be banished from the universe. A future I wish to never experience."

"Is...it hard to fly?" Jigglypuff said. "What if I fall...?"

"You will be safe," I assured her, smiling. "If you ever fall, I would be there to hold you close. Flying is a tremendous freedom...it is a disappointment such happiness should remain a part of the secrecy. You will do well, Purin, you are very talented."

"Thank you," she said, blushing. A blush spread across my own face as well.

**

Two weeks had passed since Jigglypuff's wings began developing. They had grown quite a bit, almost the same size as mine. Her wings were beautiful...each time they sprouted out from her back, my breath was taken away from amazement. She was developing much better as a demon than I had been.

It was the very future she wanted for the rest of her life.

The full moon shone brightly as Jigglypuff once again attempting to soar though the skies. Each time she improved and I kept to my word and caught her every time she fell. My mask was off whenever I taught her. I never knew the breeze blowing against my face would feel so wonderful.

Jigglypuff laughed softly from above, the freedom overwhelming. I flew alongside her, once in a while holding her hand and pressing my lips against hers. We were both locked into a demanding kiss, holding each others' hands as we flew higher into the starry sky.

"This is amazing Meta Knight. I always wanted to fly my entire life. I never believed this would be possible." She laughed again, nearly melting my heart. "I still have a long way to go. It will be a long time before I am as good as you."

"You have the rest of your life to learn." I smiled. "I assure you, that is enough time."

"Yes," she whispered. "Forever." She embraced me, my heart pounding heavily as her lips travelled across my face. We hovered in the constellation filled sky, eyes closed as her lips found their destination. We lost control of all our senses, our instincts taking over as we shared another romantic moment.

It took us a moment to realize our altitude was lowering, our bodies gliding slowly downwards. Yet our wings could not co-operate in time. Jigglypuff held onto me as we descended, bracing ourselves for the impact.

When I found the courage inside me to open my eyes, I saw that we were both lying on a tree branch, below us, a shimmering lake. Jigglypuff's body was halfway over mine from the landing. My cheeks flushed from being so close to her. She pulled away gently, but hand still over my own.

"That...was amazing!" She said, grinning. I almost face-palmed. Jigglypuff never realized that we were at risk. I found myself laughing softly with her.

"I suppose it was."

"Flying is exciting!" Jigglypuff said. "Ready for round two?"

"Already? I thought..."

"Meta Knight, I'm more than ready." Her wings sprouted out again, shining under the moonlight. "Are _you_ ready?"

"Y-Yes," I spoke, her cheery tone once again, nearly melting my heart. I glided in mid-air waiting for Jigglypuff. "I am ready for round two."

"Remember, my dear Meta Knight, this is only the beginning!"

"True." I took hold of her hand again as we took off into the skies again. She truly did come a long way from the Pokemon I met eight months ago. I am proud to have fallen in love with her.


	46. Episode Thirty Five, Part 2

_Like I promised, this chapter was longer than the last one. This Season is going to end soon. This story has come a long way and thank you so much to everyone that supported my Series so far. I hope you enjoy the new update._

_I plan on updating at least one or two more times before school starts for me on the eighth of September. ^-^ _

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

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**Chapter Forty Six**

**Episode Thirty Five, Part 2**

_Ultimatum, Meta Knight's POV _

As I watched Jigglypuff take off into the sky, I could only admire how much progress she has made in the last three weeks. I had been teaching her to use her wings properly since October. I was surprised myself that November was halfway over and the other Smashers were oblivious to our real identities. It would only be a matter of time before the truth was revealed.

So many Smashers did question Jigglypuff's sudden improvement in brawls. All she could say to answer their interrogations was that she had been training during the holiday. This reply did arise concerns. Jigglypuff did enjoy holidays a lot, and also particularly when no brawls were scheduled. She was more of a pacifist than a fighter. For her to 'train' for two weeks straight had not been the best excuse to use but there was nothing else that could have been said at the time.

No one said anything about the difference in the shape of her eyes. Though in my opinion, they are as beautiful as ever, the same sparkle in her vibrant blue eyes whenever she looked my way. As Jigglypuff landed again, I felt my face warm to a deeper shade of pink. Remembering I had my mask off, I kept my cape wrapped around myself to hide the faint blush on my cheeks.

"Have I got any better at using my wings?" She asked, another beautiful smile lightening her face. "For a moment, I thought you'd be going into shock."

"No, not yet," I said, returning the smile. "Though I believe you have yourself in the past."

Jigglypuff giggled. "I remember. Especially the same night I decided to be a demon." Our passionate kiss flashed into my memory. Remembering that myself, I blushed, only to realize she was inching closer to me. Completely taken off guard, my mouth hung open in shock. Her hands released my grip on my cape. Therefore, my blush was completely visible to her.

"Purin...I..."

She giggled again, her lips touching mine. It seemed like forever before we found the will inside ourselves to separate. Though Jigglypuff learned how to handle her wings, the opportunity to be together without anyone else knowing is always too irresistible. Only when the sun went down could Jigglypuff ever use her wings. I wish night could last longer.

Jigglypuff and I carefully headed back to our bedroom, careful not to wake everyone else. No one knew we were up this late and never did I want to see the end of it should anyone discover our intentions.

"Meta Knight, can I ask you something?" She whispered.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Whenever we spend time together flying, there has always been something that made it even more special." She averted her gaze for a second which I expected from embarrassment. "You keep your mask off rather than hide it all the time. The Smashers already saw your face. Why do you wear the mask all the time?"

"It was a mistake to have forgotten my mask that night. I should have been paying more attention. However, your well being was more important," I said, thankfully not feeling as awkward about the subject. "With you, there is no need to hide behind the mask. I trust you. If I let the same mistake repeat in front of everyone again, the ridiculing would be too much."

"Not to mention the state of all your admirers," Jigglypuff added. I shuddered.

"I'd rather not think about that," I responded, the thought of their reactions enough to sustain a nightmare. "I am only keeping the mask off when we are alone."

"That's a shame," she said, pretending to be disappointed. I chuckled softly.

Footsteps echoed through the halls silencing the both of us. Jigglypuff held onto my hand tightly. Cautiously I turned around the corner, the next room ending up being the kitchen. I motioned for Jigglypuff to stay put and risked taking a look into the room.

I was relieved to see it was only Ike attempting to steal from the cookie jar. Yet I feared if he'd be in one of his moods in the morning. I returned to Jigglypuff's side and lead her upstairs, signalling for her to stay silent until we were back at our room.

"What happened?" She asked after I closed the door. Once I told her, she giggled. "At least we know to stay away from Ike when everyone else is awake."

--

Jigglypuff, for the first time, was awake before I was. When I took a glance at the clock, I realized I slept in. I do not remember the last time I slept for such a long period of time. Jigglypuff nudged my shoulder and I groaned in response. Not wanting the moment to end, I pulled the covers completely over my body.

"Meta Knight, wake up! We're going to miss breakfast."

"That can wait," I replied, burying my face in the pillow. "I am not hungry right now."

"I am!" Jigglypuff protested.

"Go on without me," I said, closing my eyes to go back to sleep. I heard her sigh before leaving me to my sleep. "_Success,"_ I thought as I continued to relax, snuggling against the soft covers. I was about to drift into unconsciousness when I felt the blankets and the pillow became soaking wet. Immediately I sat up, completely annoyed.

Jigglypuff stood there, smiling innocently, an empty bucket in her hands. I narrowed my eyes at the object. So close I had been to sleeping... "I _had_ to wake you up somehow," she said, giggling.

I scowled, getting out of bed and searched for the towels in the bathroom cupboard. I knew Jigglypuff was watching me the entire time. Once I was certain my armour was completely free of water, I returned to Jigglypuff's side, not bothering to look her way.

She smiled. "You look so much cuter without that mask, Meta Knight."

"Thank you for the reminder," I replied, sarcastically. I reached for my mask, securing it back on my face. I took one last look in the mirror before we left the room for breakfast downstairs.

Inside, I felt unsettled...almost as if a confliction was about to arise. I could feel my shoulders stiffen up considerably with each step approaching the cafeteria. I shivered involuntarily, unsure of what was bothering me so much. As we were about to go down the stairs, I heard a voice call out to me.

"Meta Knight, could I speak to you for a moment?" Ike asked. I nodded, releasing Jigglypuff's hand.

"I will not be long," I whispered. She nodded, a little worried but left leaving both Ike and myself alone in the hallway.

Ike stayed quiet for a moment, as if thinking carefully of what he would say. Thankfully he was not in one his moods like I had predicted, but I would rather have him hyper than unusually serious. I tightened the grip on my cape as the silent progress on.

"...Meta Knight..." he began. "I don't want to bother you or anything, but...I need to ask you something."

"What is it? Is something wrong?" For Ike to be this serious disturbed me more than anything. What could have been troubling him so much?

"Is there something...wrong with Jigglypuff?" Ike asked. My eyes widened a little.

"No, not that I'm aware of," I said. "She seems fine to me."

"Then why...does she have wings?" I froze up instantly. Had this been what I feared to hear from someone else? Our secrecy discovered? Maybe I had known ever since last night...

"Jigglypuff has wings? I do not think that is true," I objected, my tone equally serious. "You might have imagined it. As far as I knew Jigglypuff never had any wings."

Ike frowned. "That's what you say Meta Knight, but I happened to glance out the window on the way back to my room. You were with her."

"You were out of bed at such a late hour?" I asked, hiding my increasing anxiety.

A look of realization instantly flashed onto Ike's face. "No, you misunderstood. I was in my bedroom the whole time and happened to watch what was going on from the window. That is beside the point though. Why were you two up? You were supposed to be in bed."

"Pur-Jigglypuff was having nightmares and could not get any sleep. I was merely trying to comfort her."

"Which reminds me..." He paused for a moment. "Meta Knight do you love her?"

"_That_ is not the point," I said, but to my annoyance, I felt my cheeks flush a little. "We were only out of bed to relax, nothing else." I turned to leave, when he took hold of my cape. I fell over backwards on my back, a gasp of surprise escaping my vocals.

"Meta Knight, you're hiding something from everyone." I bit my lip so hard, it bled. The scent suddenly attracting me, my tongue wiped it off my lips, the taste both satisfying and revolting.

"N-No, I assure you, I know nothing of the subject." I stood up from the ground, hands shaking. I hid it, wrapping my cape around my body.

"Meta Knight, you can trust us. If you know something, we are willing to listen. The Master Hand has even been worried!"

"...Even the Master Hand...? But why? Had I not said Purin was fine?"

Ike glanced at me, expression confused. "Who is Purin?"

My eyes immediately widened. "I meant Jigglypuff. I said she was well."

"Her sudden improvement in the stadium was not done by training. We know Jigglypuff quite well. She was with you on the holiday, not practising her skills. Ever since she came back from the holiday, she has changed. I know you are aware of what has been going on."

"If she has changed at all, it has been for the better." I nearly turned the other way to leave, when a couple other Smashers entered the hall. Both of us fell silent.

"Ike, where have you been? We have been looking for you," Marth said.

"I was discussing my concerns to Meta Knight about Jigglypuff." Immediately Link and Marth understood. How many people were _this_ worried about her? "He said he knows nothing of Jigglypuff changing. Though I suspect he is hiding the truth from us." I turned around quickly and bolted down the stairs as fast as I could.

Once alone, I released the cape from my grasp, allowing my hands to tremble violently. As I was breathing in and out evenly to calm myself down, I spotted Jigglypuff coming out of the cafeteria.

"Meta Knight, what did Ike say to you? What happened?" She asked, worriedly, taking hold of one of my hands.

"He knows you have wings," I replied. She gasped, her mouth gaping open.

"_How?_" Jigglypuff said, pupils microscopic. "How could he have found out?"

"We came across him on our way back to our room. He said he saw us through his bedroom window, but I know he was lying, also being awake like we had been. I hope he has not anyone though." I hugged Jigglypuff, wanting her comfort so badly. "I do not know what to do."

"Me neither," she whispered. We gazed at each other for a long moment before she lifted up my mask. "No matter what may happen should everyone know the truth, we will always be together. I love you."

"I love you too," I said, my mouth connecting on hers, lips against lips. During the kiss, we were both oblivious to our surroundings. My hand rested on her cheek, hers on my shoulders. When we opened our eyes, to our dismay, Ike, Marth and Link had been watching us. We separated, my hand pulling my mask down, concealing my face completely.

Holding Jigglypuff's hand, I lead us to the porch before anyone else could enter the hallway. Normally I would have been humiliated but I was too afraid for our existence in the tournament to care about my pride. Jigglypuff held onto my cape and I allowed her to, her warm body against mine.

She opened her mouth to speak when I covered it quickly with my gloved hand. I motioned to the window. We could faintly see the Master Hand in the background. Her eyes widened immediately. I held her in my arms, my wings coming out. I flew up to the roof, letting go of Jigglypuff when I landed.

"It will be all right. We will be safe up here," I said, giving Jigglypuff's hand a gentle squeeze.

"I sure hope so," Jigglypuff said. "They'll find us eventually. What will the Master Hand do if he ever found us out? It's not safe for us here anymore."

I nodded. "I agree, but for now we have no choice but to remain in this tournament. If the Master Hand found out we are demons, we would not be allowed to be here anymore. I promise if that happens, we will be together forever. If we should not return to our homelands, the stars are always an option."

"That does sound romantic," Jigglypuff said, instantly covering her mouth after she spoke. I chuckled.

"I would enjoy that." I leaned forward to kiss her again when, to my horror, I found the Master Hand behind us. Had he been listening the entire time?

"Meta Knight, Jigglypuff, could I speak to you both for a moment?" There was no emotion in his tone. We both followed him. Jigglypuff held onto my hand tightly the whole way there. We sat down in the Master Hand's office, extremely nervous. He was silent for a moment before speaking up.

"You said you were both demons," the Master Hand said. "That would explain why Jigglypuff has changed so much ever since the holiday. How long have you been a demon Meta Knight?"

"My whole life," I said quietly. "I was a failed creation of Nightmare."

"When did Jigglypuff become a demon?"

"I...changed Jigglypuff during the holiday, Master Hand. She became a demon using my own blood." I could feel Jigglypuff's hand tremble in my own.

"Meta Knight, if you were a demon, why would you do that to Jigglypuff?" I had never heard the Master Hand so shocked before. I looked down at the ground.

"Jigglypuff wanted that," I replied. "We love each other, yet she would die so quickly, her life span being much shorter than mine. We want to spend our life together forever..."

"And you had no objections to this Jigglypuff?" the Master Hand asked.

"Not once," she said firmly. "But...would...this cause us to be expelled from the tournament?"

The Master Hand went silent. "It says specifically in the rules that if one should prove danger to the other Smashers, they will not be allowed to stay in the tournament. Yet for you both being demons, you have done well. Since you have not been breaking any rules, I don't see a problem with you staying in the tournament."

"T-Thank you so much!" Jigglypuff said, and though she tried to hide it, she was crying from joy.

"Thank you Master Hand, for letting us stay here."

"We appreciated your participation in the tournaments. It would be a disappointment if both of you left Super Smash Brothers."

By the time we left the office, we were immensely relieved. The Master Hand was explaining the situation to the Smashers so they would understand what had happened. They accepted us for who we were which surprised me. I have never been so cared for by others in my life. Many times tears had burned my eyes, but I refused to shed them. No one could see though, and never had I been so grateful I wore a mask.

The stress of secrecy gone, I knew what must be done. Jigglypuff and I swore to be together our whole lives. She did not object to the idea of us being married.

Before that could be reality, we first had to be engaged.

My cheeks flushed. As nervous as I felt, I knew it would be unlike anything I experienced in my life.

And I was willing to give it a try.


	47. Episode Thirty Six

_Another longer chapter! ^-^ I hope you like this one! I got this one done sooner than I expected, hopefully it's good:D Thank you everyone who reviewed! Only five more updates left of this Season!_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

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**Chapter Forty Seven**

**Episode Thirty Six**

_Snowy Party, Jigglypuff's POV_

When the Master Hand said we could stay at the tournament, I felt the relief almost overcome me. I let myself cry when I was alone and I was sure no one was watching, the only exception being Meta Knight. Each time he sees me in tears, his hand is always there to wipe them away. I never could reciprocate and do the same for him. I never had seen him emotionally torn apart. Though my guess would be he resorts to internalizing whenever he is upset about anything.

Nevertheless, I could never know for certain how he was feeling all the time. I only knew we both loved each other and would be devoted to one another for the rest of our lives.

I was hoping we would be engaged, but the thought made me too nervous. I had agreed to marry him last summer but I doubt if he remembers that. The days had passed and yet nothing new happened in our relationship. November was quickly gone in seemingly mere seconds. The very first day of December, snow had fallen from the sky.

I had been lying down on my bed, restless when I happened to notice the sparkly snowflakes falling from the silvery cloudy sky. I got out from under the covers, cheek pressed against the balcony door, eyes gazing up in wonder. The only time I had seen snow was here in the tournaments. Back at my home planet, I was locked up day and night in the cold, damp basement. I smiled, remembering that if I was married to Meta Knight, I never had to see my Master again.

"Are you unable to sleep Purin?" Meta Knight asked me. Startled, I stumbled backwards from the window and into his arms.

"Yes," I whispered, breathless. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Meta Knight said, confused. "There is nothing to be sorry about."

My face flushed a little. "Oh, all right then." I turned around, hoping to get some sleep when I noticed Meta Knight gazing out the window. He never moved from his position. After a few minutes, I was beginning to feel worried.

"...Meta Knight, is something wrong?"

He didn't respond. I walked over to his side and saw his eyes were shining green. My hand rested on his shoulder, startling him. His eyes widened before remembering I was there. "Purin, I am..."

"Don't be, please don't. I'm not mad." My hand glided down his arm. "Have you ever seen snow before?"

"No, I have not. It is so...beautiful," he said, inching closer to my side. "How often does it snow?"

"Until March, usually. I am not sure myself. I only saw snow here in Super Smash Brothers," I replied. "I never got to see snow on my home planet. I was trapped inside the basement all the time."

"Your...Master was indescribably cruel to you." He wrapped his arms around my body.

"I never have to see him again...so it doesn't matter," I said, nonchalantly. He hands froze in place, his intense gaze sending a chill throughout my body.

"Your Master abused you Purin, in ways no one should ever be forced to endure," he said in an eerily serious tone. "He hurt you physically and emotionally from pain and neglect. Having to suffer for so long, all you can say is 'it doesn't matter?'"

I bit my lip, trying to relax my posture. He released me, averting his gaze.

"I am sorry if I frightened you," he apologized. "The thought of you suffering..."

"No, it's okay. I don't want to think of the past anymore," I said, forcing a smile. "I'd rather look forward the future and cherish the present, especially being with you." My hands reached for his mask. "You always have to wear that too much, don't you?"

"Um...not really," he said, his voice soft.

I took hold of the mask, loosening the strap. He didn't pull away, but allowed me to remove it completely from his face. His cheeks were bright red. I pressed my lips on each of his cheeks, interested in their sudden warmth. Eventually I found my way to his lips. I knew for certain he was nearly going into shock.

Somehow managing a small giggle during the long passionate kiss, I embraced him with longing. Once we separated, he placed his mask in his dresser before to my side, lifting me in his arms. I was surprised when he put me down on his bed before snuggling next to my side.

Without saying a word, he drifted into unconsciousness. In mere seconds, I also had fallen asleep.

**

Wrapping my shawl tightly around my shivering body, I headed to the engagement store in Nintendoville, finally finding the courage to give it a try though it took me a couple weeks. I avoided everyone's gaze as I opened the door, silently closing it behind myself.

"Hello Jigglypuff, what do you need?" Bob asked at the counter with an imprint of a coin still on his forehead.

"Um, I'm looking for an...engagement wristband," I said in a whisper. I never knew how nervous I felt until now. That was only a fraction of how it would be like if he proposed.

"Follow me," Bob said in a business-like manner. I followed closely behind, tightly clutching my shawl. He led me to a whole shelf full of engagement wristbands etc. My eyes widened for a moment before eying a deep mysterious blue lined with small sapphires.

My hand held it for a moment, knowing this one would be perfect for Meta Knight. Bob peered over my shoulder.

"Is that the one you want?" He asked.

"Yes," I said, transfixed on the object. Once I paid for it using my Smash Brothers money card, I left the store carrying the small bag containing the wristband which I had hid in my shawl. I walked down the streets of Nintendoville, remembering the last time I came here, I was in the hospital. Not a pleasant thought. So much had happened in the last couple months.

I arrived back at the Smash Mansion around noon in time for lunch. I could not find Meta Knight anywhere, but I decided not to worry about that. The main room was completely adorned with Christmas decorations, the holiday now a couple days away. Christmas would be a perfect opportunity for the proposal.

Every year, there was a special festive party and a dance. Definitely a perfect opportunity. Apparently, Kirby must have been assisting the others with the cooking because I could hear shouts of "Don't eat that," or "It's for the party." Kirby hadn't changed much when it came to food.

In the last tournament, I used to spend a lot of time with the younger Smashers. How much had I changed since Melee? Now I was a demon, maybe about to be engaged to the one I loved. Life felt _normal_, as normal as life around here could be. Everyone overlooked the fact that both Meta Knight and I were demons and tried to involve us as much as possible.

Meta Knight has become more social than he was at the beginning of the tournament. He laughs more often too; a sound that always melts my heart.

**

I put on my red velvet dress, glancing nervously at the clock. Only ten minutes until the Christmas party began. I also put on a lacy white shawl over my dress, the engagement wristband hidden inside one of the secret pockets. I trembled, completely nervous. Fortunately I was alone so no one saw.

I proceeded slowly down the stairs to the main room. Faintly, I could hear Christmas music play. I took a deep breath and quickened my pace to the party before I was late. As I turned the corner, I ended up walking into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"No, it is all right," Meta Knight replied. "You are excessively beautiful in that dress."

I blushed, fidgeting with my hands. "T-Thank you. I think you look handsome." He had a green and red cape on to fit the Christmas mood, his gloves the same colours. The cape seemed to sparkle in the light as we walked to the main room, holding hands.

"Thank you," he said. I knew he was flattered by his tone, and could sense he was also nervous. Why couldn't I say anything to him? Anything at all? What was wrong with me?

The Master Hand spoke up. "Thank you to everyone for attending the first Christmas Celebration of Super Smash Brothers Brawl. And welcome to any guests the Smashers have invited to the party. The Crazy Hand will be deciding the music for the dance. The dance will end at midnight if guests wish to stay the night, that is not a problem. We hope you enjoy yourselves and remember the rules still apply."

Meta Knight led me to the dance floor, one arm wrapped around my shoulder. The lights dimmed down, the red and green spotlights taking their place. He placed his hands on my waist, taking precisely even steps back and forth. I enjoyed slow dancing opposed to going fast. The last time we tried that, Meta Knight had fallen over. Luckily that was during the holiday and not in front of everyone else.

He gently spun the both of us around before reverting to slower steps forwards and backwards. We were not the centre of attention like the last party before the holiday. The Smashers knew we were in love and no one thought of us any differently, the only change being they involved Meta Knight more often.

The song ended as he held me close against his body, cape halfway over my shoulder. I tried not to think about that for fear of blushing. I wish my face was not visible to everyone all the time.

"Purin," Meta Knight whispered so no one else could hear. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, is something wrong?"

Meta Knight chuckled. "Your face is red."

Extremely humiliated, I leaned against his shoulder hiding the intensifying blush on my face.

"Why are you ashamed of that?" Meta Knight said, eyes pink. "It coordinates well with your gorgeous dress."

"Just perfect," I said sarcastically. "Now's not the time."

"Do we not have 'forever?' As forever can be for us demons," he retaliated, smiling behind the mask. "It would be a shame to never see you blush again. It is rather endearing."

"All right," I sighed, giving in. "You win, but I'm not happy about it." I lifted my face from his shoulder, my blush once again in his view.

"Do not be that way. It is Christmas Eve. Should we not enjoy it while it lasts?"

"Point taken," I said, smiling. The song ended, and only then did I realize how tired I was. He took hold of my hand and led me to the buffet table, offering me a glass of soda. I accepted, returning the kind gesture. He used a straw to drink as not to remove his mask in the presence of others.

We found a seat on the bench, away from prying eyes to rest from dancing an hour straight. His arm found its way around my shoulder again, his masked face resting against my cheek. I embraced him, relaxing comfortably with my love in my arms.

"I love you," I whispered to him. He lifted his mask and quickly kissed me on the lips.

"I love you too," he said softly. From the corner of my eye, I could see Ike smirking and Snake, both eyebrows raised in amusement. I looked away before I could feel embarrassed. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes. Are you?"

He nodded, eyes blue. "Would you care to dance again?"

"Sure," I said, standing up. Inside I felt light and happy as we began to slow dance again. Fortunately the Crazy Hand only played slow dancing music. None of the Christmas songs were chaotic, thank goodness. Though the thought of Meta Knight falling down from dancing too fast did sound very amusing.

At the same time, I felt impatient. We loved each other for so long...when would we be engaged? I sighed, accidently letting it slip. Meta Knight immediately reacted.

"Is something wrong?" He asked. I smiled.

"No, I'm...happy."

"If you say so." We glided on the dance floor, once in a while spinning in gentle circles. I could never forget how graceful Meta Knight was when he was dancing slowly. I gazed longingly into his eyes as we drifted back and forth sideways.

I was both disappointed and relieved when the party ended. Many people wished each other 'Merry Christmas' and headed upstairs. It took a long time to get to the elevator, the hallways being really crowded. We normally would have used the stairs but the elevator was thankfully empty. I was eager to get to the bedroom. The party had exhausted me so much.

My whole body was aching. Meta Knight carried me the whole way, putting me down on the bed before lying down next to me, discarding his mask once again. The room was so quiet, I could distinctly hear the seconds tick by on the clock.

I felt my body lift from the bed and into Meta Knight's arms. He smiled, opening the balcony doors with one hand, the other still securing me gently. His wings came out, cape disappearing. The next thing I knew, we were in the air, gliding amongst the stars. I giggled quietly, his soft laughter joining in.

The way he manoeuvred through the skies was like a dance of its own. After a few twists and spins, we stayed a consistent and slower drift in the air.

"You are amazing," I said, eyes widened. I never saw him fly in this particular pattern before. To my shock, I heard him softly sing a gentle love melody.

"I dedicated this one for you," he said, when he briefly paused. I didn't know what to say. My eyes watered from the beauty and expression in his voice. His lips pressed against one of my tear stained cheeks. My tears were from joy and happiness.

He landed on the balcony, shivering. "I forgot how cold it is during the Winter." He closed the doors before turning my way, another dazzling smile on his face.

"Meta Knight, that...was wonderful and so kind of you," I said, smiling. "You are a really good singer. It is a shame you do not sing that often."

"Merry Christmas," he said, kissing me again.

I blushed. "Merry Christmas, Meta Knight." We turned around, about to go to sleep before the chaotic morning. I remembered how excited everyone was waking up on Christmas.

I found Meta Knight holding an object in his hands in an intense gaze. What could have possibly been so surprising? Fear immediately struck my heart when I found my shawl pocket to be empty. Could... Meta Knight...?

"Purin," he began. "Did you by any chance...drop this?"


	48. Episode Thirty Seven

_I could not manage a whole chapter with my idea I planned so I had to combine this with chapter 49. Anything in Jigglypuff's POV would have been a separate chapter but my writers block was too much. There will only be 51 chapters in total now. I hope you enjoy the new update. Though it will be one less update, this one is longer:D _

_I couldn't upload the new document in Document Manager but instead I copy and pasted the new content into another document I have uploaded on my account. I really wanted to update again before school starts! This is dedicated to ALL my wonderful reviewers and readers!_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

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**Chapter Forty Eight**

**Episode Thirty Seven**

_Bonding Ceremony, Split POV_

_Meta Knight's POV_

My breathing came in uneven gasps as the minutes passed by. My hands shoulders were tightened as one of my hands fingered the formal cape; my appropriate attire for the upcoming ceremony. I never imagined this day would ever be a reality...I closed my eyes, certain I was dreaming. Upon opening my eyes again, I realized in only a few minutes, my life would never be the same again.

Life would also be different for Jigglypuff. We had been engaged for five months ever since Christmas. I never felt more surprised than when she accepted my proposal. I thought for certain she would reject me, but I was wrong. I remembered the shock I felt when I had held the wristband in my hands. Never would I have known she also possessed an engagement wristband.

_"Merry Christmas," I said, kissing her again. _

_Jigglypuff blushed. "Merry Christmas, __Meta__ Knight." I caught glimpse of her flushed face as she turned around. As she headed for her bed, an object fell from her shawl pocket. I picked it up, curious of what it could be._

_A moment after my gaze transfixed on the wristband, Jigglypuff turned around again, almost in a panic. _

_"Purin," I began. "Did you by any chance...drop this?"_

_She eyed the object, in a frightened stare. "I-I don't know what you're talking about. Where did you get that?"_

_"I could ask you the same question," I said. "It was in your possession and you dropped it on accident."_

_"I-It was supposed to be a surprise...for you," she stuttered. She was so beautiful when she blushed. I could feel my eyes burn a little as she spoke those words._

_"Purin, what...does that mean?" I asked, the shock overpowering my thoughts to comprehend in my mind. "Do...you...really feel...that way?"_

_She looked down, nodding. "I do __Meta__ Knight...I won't be angry if you hate me because of that."_

_"I am not mad at you Purin," I said, holding her the engagement wristband I bought for her. "I feel the same way."_

_Her eyes instantly widened. "M-Meta Knight...I..."_

_"Purin, I love you more than anything. You are the most important person in my heart. Until death do us part and forever always, will you marry me?" _

_She hugged me so tightly, a couple tears falling from her eyes. I wiped them away with my hand, holding her close. When we separated, she held my hand, slipping the wristband around my wrist, smiling. Lost in the moment, she managed to take off a glove._

_"Good thing I didn't get a ring," Jigglypuff said. "We both don't have fingers, do we?"_

_"No, I suppose not."_

_She giggled softly, rubbing my hand again. "I never really knew how soft your skin was before."_

_My face felt like it was burning instantly. She lifted up my mask and removed it, letting it drop to the ground._

_"There's nothing to be ashamed of __Meta__ Knight," she said, gazing at my red face. "Though you are much cuter when you blush." I couldn't look away, even if I wanted to. When I was able to look her in the eyes again, our lips touched._

"Are you ready Meta Knight?" Marth asked from outside the door. I almost fell over, startled out of my thoughts of the proposal. I stiffened, each second passing, my heart racing rapidly. I nodded, tightening the grip on my cape to stop myself from shaking.

"Y-Yes," I managed.

Marth bent down, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It will be all right," he said. I smiled, reassured a little.

"Thank you," I replied. Yet as I proceeded down the hallway, I felt like everyone was staring at me. Everywhere I turned, there was always someone there. How many guests did everyone invite to the wedding today? I would have felt a little less anxious if Jigglypuff were beside me but it was tradition not to see the bride before the wedding.

I could feel butterflies in my stomach as I entered the main room. I avoided every Smasher's gaze, the anxiety stronger than ever. I needed to be strong...for my sake and Jigglypuff's. The room was very crowded with Smashers, guests and the like. I kept walking, managing to keep my emotions under control as I stood before the priest.

The priest looked so familiar. The fading coin imprint lingered on his forehead...Was Bob also a priest? Exactly how many jobs does he have? Jigglypuff was at my side a second later, beauty stunning me almost into a shocked silence. Instead of her shawl, a lacy light blue wedding gown took its place, two sapphire roses tucked behind her ears. Her hand found mine, holding it tightly.

"You look handsome," she told me. "And...hot."

I smiled behind the mask. It was to my fortune that I was allowed to keep it on at the moment. In the end, is removal would be inevitable. I might as well enjoy what moments I have left with the cold metal against my warm face.

"That dress is especially elegant," I replied. "It brings out the colour of your eyes."

She blushed. "T-Thank you...but why are you still wearing that mask? You are much cuter without it."

My eyes strayed from her own for a second. "I do not feel comfortable with it off, especially with all these strangers here," I whispered out of anyone's earshot. She giggled.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes I am Purin," I whispered back. By now, Jigglypuff no longer kept her real name a secret. The truth was a surprise, but everyone quickly accustomed to it. I told her in the past her name was beautiful.

Has it really been over a year since we first arrived at the Smash Mansion? Time passes by so quickly. I took a glance at the others, managing to see Dedede gazing longingly at the wedding feast. Needless to say, I had too many butterflies in my stomach to worry about eating anything.

The whole room went quiet as the priest began speaking. "Today we gather before the new couple in honour of celebrating their bonding as marriage partners," Bob said. I could keep up with his speech unable to concentrate. The last sentence however unsettled my stomach.

"You may kiss the bride."

I felt unsure about removing my mask in front of everyone. Jigglypuff held my hand again.

My hand unhooked the straps securing the mask to my face. I could feel the change of mood in the room as the mask fell to the floor. Jigglypuff leaned in closer. My lips caressed her in a demand for pleasure.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwww!"

At the moment I did not mind. After so long, our dream of being married came true.

"I love you Meta Knight," Jigglypuff said, smiling.

Our lips tightly pressed together once more. "I love you too Purin, with all my heart, forever..."

_Jigglypuff's POV_

In the past year, my life was nothing but surprises; experiences in which I believed were mere fantasies and hopeful daydreams. They were before, but now they were a reality I thought I never deserved. I lost count of how long I have lived but now it doesn't matter to me anymore. I had forever to be with my new husband, Meta Knight.

A deep blush warmed my whole face. I thought for certain it was on fire. Husband...I could believe I married him a few hours ago. Inside I didn't feel like a wife. Would I ever be used to this? Life as a demon with the one I loved.

I glanced down at my hand again, the small diamonds on my wedding wristband glittering in the sun. Proof of my eternal bond to him; a sign our hearts were one connected together by deep devotion and strong, everlasting love. My eyes filled with tears again, but from happiness. I could close my eyes and picture the wedding in my mind; how excited the Smashers were and surprised. No one expected we'd be serious about each other romantically. When we first met, we never would get along the way we do now. His voice echoed in my mind saying, "I do." He was so handsome at the wedding in his formal attire. When we were declared marriage partners, he removed the mask in front of everyone and kissed me with so much passion, my heart could have burst from shock. He never kissed me with such intensity and longing before. It was still a shock; perfect and adorable Meta Knight my husband for life.

Imagine...me a wife, married! I wonder what my Master would say if he knew his "weakling" was married. I grinned, imagining the look on his face. A giggle escaped my lips, the thought hilarious. His worthless Pokemon, a powerful demon. I admit, the need for blood can be difficult but it's manageable.

For Meta Knight, it's easier for him to be with me and show his emotions more openly. Most of the time he insists to keep his mask on but I end up winning. Being a demon has its advantages; I am stronger than before. My strength was considerably higher; though he could still overpower me, I found it easier to take the mask off his precious face. He hasn't adjusted to my newfound power and whenever he realizes his mask is off, the look of astonishment on his face is priceless. Once in a while, if he's really awkward about his appearance, he blushes. I don't understand what he's ashamed of; everyone respects him the same and his scars are hardly visible.

"I'm not supposed to be cute," he told me in the past, saying the last word in resented loath.

I giggled again. No matter how much he tried to hide his embarrassment, it shows through. I knew him for so long, he couldn't lie to me anymore about his feelings.

"What is on your mind, my dear Purin?" Meta Knight asked me, eyes pink.

"Nothing much, I was just...thinking, that's all."

"And you tell me I am a horrible liar," he whispered. "You are not nervous about the..."

"No, not really. I'm with you, remember?"

"Why you love me so much, I will never understand," he said, hugging me. "I love you Purin."

"I love you too Meta Knight." I returned the hug with equal longing. "Are you nervous?"

He hung his head (also his body). "Yes, I am. I know it is wrong for me to feel this way but I do."

"Relax Meta Knight, I'm with you. It will be all right. I promise you won't hurt me. Please don't worry about that, you're strong enough."

"I am worried about tonight," he confessed. "Removing my armour feels too uncomfortable. I don't want anyone to see my body...it is disgusting."

"Meta Knight, you're not disgusting! Stop deluding yourself, please!" I held onto his shoulders, forcing him to look at me. "All right, I don't feel completely comfortable about my body either, being so scarred and all, but I know you won't think of me any differently. I'd do the same for you."

"I am aware of that, but...it still feels..."

I hugged him again. "I know Meta Knight, I know...Don't worry. It will be okay. We're in this together, I'm here for you."

"Thank you Purin," he whispered. "That means a lot to me."

We spoke in quiet whispers throughout the ride on the elegant bus. There were others around and though Meta Knight refused to admit it, he was shy. He never wanted to be the center of attention and preferred the shadows. Even in the Smash Mansion, he'd whisper when others were around as not to be heard. He believed he was disgusting but it pained me to hear him say that. Tonight, I would prove to him it was okay and normal to have feelings.

Tired from the wedding ceremony, I leaned against Meta Knight's shoulder, yawning. He wrapped an arm around me, though awkward so many people were looking in our direction. We were still dressed in our wedding garments after all.

The Master Hand arranged a two week holiday in Nintendoville, completely free of all costs. No one would charge a Smasher, especially a top tier. I was excited about staying at a deluxe hotel, to mention all the activities nearby. I might as well be in Heaven, with my perfect husband.

I drifted to sleep on the way there and in Meta Knight's arms. He had to wake me up when we made it to the hotel.

Everyone else let us off the bus first. I assisted Meta Knight with carrying our luggage from the compartment. We got off the bus, both amazed to see the luxurious hotel. My jaw dropped out of wonder. Never in my life would I have imagined staying at a place like this. Again, I pictured the look of my Master's face if he saw where I was.

Meta Knight held the door open for me, following close behind shortly after. The main room was elegant, the walls imprinted with gold patterns of flowers, soft burgundy carpet covering the floor. His arm returned to my side. We had our room already reserved before arriving here, courteously of the Master Hand.

Our room was extravagant; grander than I imagined possible. I helped Meta Knight unpack our possessions in the wardrobe. The room also contained a vanity, a huge bed with deluxe blankets and an indoor bath. We sat, side against side on the balcony witnessing the sun dip below the horizon.

I was not nervous on the bus, but now I am. Evening came in the blink of an eye. Me and Meta Knight headed for the indoor bath, carrying a towel. I felt his hand tremble in my grasp and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"It's all right," I whispered.

The ceiling above glistened with stars. It looked so realistic. The bath filled slowly. The bubbling water was so tempting. As nervous as I felt, I was excited to get in. The water shut off on its own when the bath was completely filled. Meta Knight was shaking and I embraced him, hoping he would calm down.

"Meta Knight, it's okay. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

He nodded, though clearly afraid. Meta Knight removed the mask but wouldn't look my way. I turned around when I took off my clothing to give him some privacy as he undressed. I could hear his armour fall on the ground. My heart rate sped up erratically, knowing Meta Knight was in the same room, not wearing anything.

I folded my clothes, neatly placing them on the table with Meta Knight's armour. Shivering from anticipation, I turned to face my husband before we went into the bathtub. My eyes widened a little, but I stopped myself, not wanting to imply I was staring. He seemed equally shocked as I had been. For the first time, I allowed myself to show him why I covered my body. I glanced at my reflection mirrored in the water. The same scars marked various areas of my body from all the abuse I endured in the past. He held my hand, knowing how awkward I felt. We both climbed in the large bathtub and as our bodies submerged in the water, I no longer felt self-conscious. It felt right to be here with Meta Knight.

He leaned against my side, cheek resting against my own. The close proximity between us was so tempting. He seemed to be thinking the same thing because he wrapped both arms around my body, occasionally stroking the scars. I could see stars, almost feeling faint from the excitement rushing through every part of my body, like adrenaline.

I lay back in the water, floating along the surface. Meta Knight was at my side, his hand always stroking along my face or back. I could only float on the water, not knowing how to reciprocate the gestures. Inside I wanted to badly to touch him, but he may not like that.

He remained suspended in the water, arms back to his side as if waiting for me to touch him. His eyes gazed longingly into mine and I could resist no more. I stroked along his cheeks which were flushed a light shade of red. His eyes closed fully as a sigh of content escaped past his lips. Encouraged, my hands traced down his back which lessened up from the touch. His shoulders relaxed visibly as his face leaned closer to mine. My lips pressed against his, a little harder than usual with higher demand. A moment later, I felt his tongue briefly brush against mine. Initially surprised, my tongue attempted to hold his in place, struggling for dominance. With ease, his easily pushed mine aside. My eyes opened, shocked.

"You are not that strong yet," he said, eyes pink. "I win the 'battle' I suppose."

I scowled, but inside, my heart beat unevenly from pleasure. "That's not fair. You're always stronger than I am."

"That is life, my dear Purin," he said, smiling. "Since when was life fair?"

I returned the smile and held onto his soft arm. He did have a point after all. His cheek rested against my shoulder, the both us sighing contentedly. We both got out of the bathtub around an hour later, wrapped in warm towels.

Meta Knight carried his armour to the dresser, putting it away in one of the drawers. I copied his actions unsure of what to do. He turned on the lamp by the bed and lay down, letting his towel drop the floor. My body rested next to his for a moment. We lay there in silence until he turned in my direction, expression full of worry.

"Purin, are you sure you're ready for this?" He asked.

I nodded. This would be one of the most memorable moments of my life.

"If I hurt you, let me know." I kissed his cheek.

"Don't worry, I will," I replied. "Ready when you are."

He smiled. After turning off the light, we submerged completely under the covers.

**  
I awoke, completely dazed and confused. Where was I? Why did I feel so different? The first thing I was aware of was my vision was restricted by the blanket. My hand pushed it aside, only to see Meta Knight's body lying halfway over mine. In an instant, my face burned from blushing so hard.

His eyes opened from the increase of light due to the blanket's absence. He noticed my red face and almost questioned it when he realized he was lying on top of me. Gently he changed his position, blushing deeply.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" He asked me. I quickly glanced down at my body. There wasn't anything out of sort, no harm done. We smiled at each other. Two demons on a honeymoon and succeeding without hurting one another.

"Nope, not at all. I'm fine."

We both agreed on taking a bath this morning. Meta Knight was not nervous this time, in fact, the whole time, he was smiling. Not once did he tremble, and conversation flowed easier between the two of us. He didn't seem as shy when he spoke, though once in a while, he stuttered, which I thought was cute.

I washed his back, careful as if it was severely delicate. Once chuckle from him instantly caused my face to flush a deep shade of fuchsia. Meta Knight was so perfect...if only I was not too paranoid about harming his body, let alone his soft skin.

"It isn't funny!" I retorted.

"Surely Purin, you could to that a _little_ harder. I am not that breakable."

"I should have known," I muttered. "Knowing you, that should have been obvious."

"Do you really believe me to be perfect? Purin, you know that is far from true. Like everyone else, I possess my weaknesses and fears, virtues and vices. That applies to every living being."

"I understand that, but..." He kissed me on the mouth, silencing the rest of my sentence. Whatever I would have said, it didn't matter. Alone in the bath on a honeymoon with my husband, nothing could go wrong. Nothing.


	49. Episode Thirty Eight

_I managed to update one more time before the summer holidays are over. I have school tomorrow:( Only one more chapter left of this story, then bloopers. Season 4 will be out very soon after this one is finished. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and supported the story so far:D You are all awesome! This story would never have come so far without your support._

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

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**Chapter Forty Nine**

**Episode Thirty Eight**

_Shocking News, Jigglypuff's POV_

"We're going back today, aren't we?" I asked after awakening up, lying next to Meta Knight. He smiled, his body pressed against mine.

"I suppose so," he replied, his cheek briefly touching against my face. "If only the honeymoon would last longer...this experience was enjoyable. I never felt so..."

"Me neither. A year ago, I never would have believed anyone would ever care for me." I sighed peacefully, slightly leaning over his body. "Now...my scars don't matter anymore. The past is not part of my life, the present. At least I don't have to see my Master again."

"True," he said.

"How long have we been here?" I asked, losing count of the days we were absent from the Smash Mansion.

He smiled. "Two weeks. Have you truly lost count of the time? That is very unlike you."

I shrugged, trying to hide my flushed cheeks. "When I'm with you, time doesn't matter. I want to be in your arms forever; as long as I live."

Meta Knight's lips touched along my shoulder, sending a chill through my body. I couldn't speak as his lips proceeded to my jaw. He never had to voice aloud his affection for me, his actions showing that he cared.

My lips met his at last. "I love you," I said, though it sounded like a mumble, my mouth still rested against his while we were kissing.

We separated, breathless. He leaned back against he soft pillows, arms around my body, occasionally stroking my scarred waist. I didn't' mind the touch.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"Oh yes, I was just thinking that's all."

"I did not bite too hard, did I?" He said, expression full of worry. I self consciously looked down at my stomach (also part of my body).

"No you didn't. I'm fine," I replied. "You never hurt me Meta Knight, and never will." He smiled, hand resting on my stomach absentmindedly. I blushed from the gesture. His face also flushed.

"I-I am sorry Purin!" He stuttered.

"No, it's okay. I...liked it." That got his face to blush scarlet. A giggle escaped through my lips.

"You're blushing again Meta Knight," I said, grinning.

"I realized that," he said, hiding his face under the covers. I easily found his small body under the blankets, his glowing eyes giving him away. I snuggled against him, my body sliding a couple inches under his stomach. I felt the warmth radiate from his face off his skin. My lips touched against his stomach, gliding to his mouth.

My heart almost stopped when his mouth pressed against my stomach. His breath on my stomach soothed me. Eyelids drooping, I waited for him to make the next move.

The door opened, startling the both of us. We scrambled out from under the blankets, only to realize the hotel manager was standing outside the door.

"Your ride back to the Smash Mansion will arrive in an hour. You should be packing now."

"Y-Yes, right away," I said, blushing.

The manager shook his head, mumbling "puffball love," under his breath on the way out.

I did not have time to think about the awkward interruption for long. Meta Knight held me close as he carried me out of bed, making his way to the dresser. He gently put me down as he opened the drawer. He passed me my shawl, also taking out his armour putting it back on.

It felt so odd wearing a shawl to hide my body again. Being on a honeymoon for so long...I forgot about life at the Smash Mansion. In a couple days, we would be back to brawling in the stadium. Meta Knight brought all our possessions back using his dimensional cape. Again, I wish I could have one.

"Are you ready?" He said, holding the mask about to put it back on.

"Yes, but..." He eyed me with worry.

"What is wrong?"

"Do you have to wear that again?" I said, disappointed.

He smiled, understanding what I meant. "Yes. It would be...rather unfortunate for everyone to see my face again. One time is enough."

"No one made fun of you Meta Knight. They still respected you the same as they did before. Of course that mask does come in handy in the stadium. Otherwise every single fangirl would be stalking you. They would go into shock."

His look was a mixture of a scowl and a smile. "You made your point Purin. We should be going now." It was so like him to be evasive.

My lips pressed tightly on his before he could secure the mask to his face. Startled, he nearly fell over backwards from surprise. "Purin...I-"

"You aren't putting that mask on yet. I'd miss seeing your adorable face." He smiled, confliction showing in his eyes.

"You know how uncomfortable I am about my face Purin. Please..."

I sighed. "All right then."

**

It had been about ten days since Meta Knight and I returned from our honeymoon. We resumed our brawling matches once again. Our routine was back to normal with the exception that I slept in the same bed with Meta Knight. All had been well for the both of us, especially since I found resisting the urge to drink blood much easier.

Until the fourth of June...

_I was desperately trying to keep up with my friends as we ran all the way to Nintendoville. It was all Kirby's idea to get ice cream. I instantly agreed, not remembering the last time I ate ice cream. The younger Smashers, Ness, Lucas, Yoshi and Toon Link agreed to come along. It felt good to run again, the cool yet warm breeze sweeping across my face._

_Ness and Lucas had to restrain Kirby from eating all the ice cream we ordered at the counter. I ate a few cones, craving the sweet so badly. Normally I never would eat this much but I didn't want to worry about that. There was nothing wrong with me. After I was full, I'd be better._

_At least I hoped I would, but..._

_I ate four more cones before I felt a sudden pain in my stomach. I almost gasped from the ache, but I bit my lip to suppress it. Perhaps I ate too many ice cream cones. I forced my last one down while the others were talking amongst themselves. I leaned against the chair, beginning to feel sick._

"_Poyo?" Kirby asked, nudging my arm. I responded by forcing a smile._

"_It's all right Kirby. I just ate too much..."_

_He didn't look convinced, but resumed eating. Relieved he was distracted, I tried my best to think of something else hoping it would keep my mind off the pain. My stomach twisted in nauseating pain. Even if I ate too much of something, it never hurt this much. _

_I fell down on the ground in a rapid sweat. The others were at my seat in an instant._

"_Jigglypuff, what's wrong?" I could hear someone say. I was too much in pain to tell who said what._

"_I...feel...sick," I managed to whisper._

"_Someone, call for help!"_

"_Leave it to me."_

_I lay there on the floor aching all over. My eyes closed, trying to block out the pain and my surroundings. I felt myself being lifted onto a bed, but I didn't want to open my eyes from fear. I realized when I heard an engine starting, I was in an ambulance car. _

_My heart pounded heavily. Meta Knight didn't know where I was...and I wanted him more than anybody right now, to hold my hand and tell me it would be all right. I couldn't even hear his deep voice in my mind. A couple tears rolled down my cheeks. I lost consciousness as the car drove away._

_What if I never would be able to kiss him again? I hoped it wasn't anything life threatening. After becoming a demon, only to die...it would the worst possible outcome._

_Meta Knight, I love you...I need your support more than anything in the world._

I opened my eyes, forehead still throbbing from a fever. Everywhere I looked, I saw everything in a white daze. Immediately I realized I was in the hospital, most likely the same one I was in before when my wings were developing.

How long have I been here? I was too dizzy and confused to think straight. At that same moment, the door opened, a nurse entering the room.

"I see you're awake. Everyone was worried about you."

"Ugh..." I groaned, trying to sit up. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Nearly two days," she responded. "I informed the Smashers of your condition. They have been visiting the hospital regularly. While you were unconscious, we performed some tests on you...We reached a conclusion."

My heart rate sped up faster than ever. "W-What is happening to me? I-Is it bad?"

The nurse looked down, shifting uncomfortably slightly from her position. "Jigglypuff, we found out from your test results that you're...pregnant."


	50. Episode Thirty Nine

**Chapter Fifty**

**Episode Thirty Nine**

_Undying Love, Meta Knight's POV_

I kept shifting in my seat in the waiting room, anxious to see Jigglypuff again. The Master Hand had to cancel the brawl having an urgent call from the Nintendoville hospital. He discussed what happened to Jigglypuff shortly after. I did feel sorry for the others who were with her, especially since they felt so bad for her.

_I watched as the next brawl began, trying to relax in the audience seat. I reminded myself Jigglypuff was with her friends so she would be all right. Convinced, my mind remained blank and calm as the brawl began. Link and Marth clashed swords in fierce combat. I admit, they are worthy opponents, having fought against them in the past._

_A voice rang out on the intercom. "Due to an emergency, the rest of the brawls today are cancelled. All Smashers report to the meeting room immediately."_

_The audience/fans that had been looking forward to the matches let out continuous groans and complaints. I was barely aware of them. I felt deep inside something was horribly wrong...it was like a sixth sense that bonded Jigglypuff's heart to mine._

_Her name immediately brought a wave of dread over me. What if my subconscious was telling me she was hurt?_

_My fears were confirmed when we all gathered in the meeting room._

_"The hospital has informed us that Jigglypuff has been taken to the emergency room to undergo treatments. We do not know what is wrong with her yet, but when we do find out, you will be informed."_

I remembered that part of the Master Hand's speech clearly. A day passed since the announcement of the shocking news. We were visiting the hospital, hoping to see Jigglypuff. The Master Hand told the nurse I was married to her and immediately they checked to see if she was in condition to see me. 

"Do you know what happened to her?" I asked.

"You'll find out very soon. Jigglypuff requested to tell you alone. Come with me." I followed the nurse, taking one last glance at the worried Smashers from behind. I wanted to ask more questions, but refrained from speaking. The whole time we were walking Jigglypuff was on my mind.

_Jigglypuff, what happened to you?_

Before she had left to go to Nintendoville with her friends, she had been perfectly fine. It was a struggle to keep my composure but I managed the whole time we were in the elevator. The nurse would tell me about Jigglypuff no longer, as if to keep it a secret. I disliked it immensely, worried sick for my wife.

Memories flooded my mind of every moment I could remember we shared together. I forced the images back as an attempt to prevent any tears from filling my eyes. To shed tears now is childish and weak. I needed to be strong, considering the nurse did not sound worried when informing me Jigglypuff wanted to speak to me alone.

The nurse held the door open for me, nodding as if to assure me she was all right. I smiled, acknowledging her kindness and stepped in the room, unsure of what to expect. Jigglypuff sat up from her bed, smiling...the same beautiful smile...She was not hurt like I feared.

"Meta Knight, I am so glad you came. I've been so worried about you!"

"You are not hurt...are you?" She motioned for me to sit next to her and I quickly accepted.

"No, not at all. I wanted so badly to tell you what happened but the nurse insisted I rest beforehand. I'm sorry." Jigglypuff held both of my hands, startling me from the strong grip, her mood suddenly changing to serious.

"Is something wrong Purin?" I asked, my heart racing from anxiety.

"Meta Knight, I have something very important I need to tell you. Are you ready?" Jigglypuff asked, holding me close.

"Y-Yes," I said.

She looked me in the eye without blinking. "Meta Knight...I-I'm...I'm pregnant."

My eyes widened, my breath taken away. "Y-You're w-what?"

"You're going to be a father Meta Knight," Jigglypuff replied. I stared at her in disbelief. "And I will be a mother. We're both going to be parents. Hard to believe, huh?"

"Very much so," I whispered. I held her body gently against mine, extra careful with her stomach. "I cannot describe how happy I am. Jigglypuff...I..." To my embarrassment, I felt a few tears roll down my cheeks from joy. She wiped them away, removing the mask from my face.

"I can't describe how excited I am either Meta Knight," Jigglypuff agreed, crying herself. "I love you so much!"

"I love you too," I said, giving up holding back the tears and let them slid off my cheeks onto the ground. I never cried in front of anyone before but this was an exception.

My life as a husband was only beginning.

**

I stared out the window, savouring what quiet moments I had before everyone else woke up. I used to take those moments for granted and only now did I realize how precious they were to me. I held my wife in my arms as she continued to sleep. After giving birth, her strength has been depleted almost entirely.

I had witnessed the birth of our child, or to be exact, children. It was not until almost two months after she told me she was pregnant that she discovered she was carrying twins. I made sure to take extra care of her during the whole time our children were inside her.

To be honest, when I saw Jigglypuff give birth, I almost passed out. I had no idea the process was so painful. How she endured that escaped my logic. When it did hurt, I let her squeeze my hand as hard as she could. Most of the time, she kept a smile on her face. I admired her strength. If only I possessed that strength when I had to see everyone I knew and cared about die.

_"Purin, you will be all right. I am here for you."_

_She held my hand tightly, stifling back a moan of pain. "I know Meta Knight...you're with me...that's all that matters."_

I stroked along her stomach as she leaned against me, still sleeping soundly. I remember the first time I attempted to touch her stomach, we both were extremely embarrassed. I recall that memory many times, but thankfully my cheeks do not flush at the thought anymore.

I leaned back against the sheets and pillow, fully relaxed. I no longer slept with my armour on. I never knew how comfortable it was. My eyes could close and I would feel like sleeping forever. So long ago, I always suffered from sleep deprivation, but now...sleep comes naturally, especially with Jigglypuff at my side, in my arms under the snug covers.

Our children slept soundly in their beds, not yet awakened by the rising sun over the horizon. I smiled, my heart feeling warm gazing at the twins...it was hard to believe we had created that life through our love. We did spend a discussion of what we would name the children and eventually we decided Midnight and Starlight fit best.

The very same times of day our love strengthened in the past months every since the opening of Brawl. I loved them dearly. Me and Jigglypuff have been parents for a month and though at times, it was difficult, I enjoyed being with the children. We also arranged with the Master Hand to adopt Kirby.

Kirby was so happy when he heard the news. He already thought of me like his father and acted as an older brother for Midnight and Starlight. He matured so much, even learning basic English, his usage of the word "poyo" dropping dramatically. We were proud of Kirby so much since he became part of our family.

The Master Hand arranged a house to live in nearly the Smash Mansion and allowed us to participate in brawls whenever we wished to. We were grateful for his kindness, agreeing to visit often when we had the free time.

We did bring the children when we visited. Kirby acted as a role model to the twins. Occasionally the Smashers would visit us when they had the weekends off.

The memories...I knew they would last forever, as long as I lived. I kissed Jigglypuff on the cheek before drifting back into sleep, remembering I could sleep in.

What I did learn as a parent...children like to sleep a lot. I smiled to myself as the world around me became nonexistent in my world of dreams.


	51. Epilogue & Messed Up Creativity 3

The bloopers are finally here, plus with a short epilogue. The last chapter did end abruptly so hopefully you'll like it. The Season is finally over. It came a long way, though I will fix some of the chapters when I have the time. Season 4 should be out next week if all goes well. The updates may not be as fast but it will be done, even if it takes the whole school year.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR REVIEWING! THIS STORY NOW HAS 300 REVIEWS!!! ^-^

Disclaimer: Same as usual

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**Chapter 51: Epilogue and Messed Up Creativity**

_**Epilogue (A Few Months Later):**_

_Jigglypuff's POV_

Sooner or later, the children would find out about the Halberd, of course, by accident. It was a couple days before Christmas Eve and we volunteered to buy the groceries for the Master Hand. We did not find our children in their respective visitor bedrooms in the Smash Mansion so both me and Meta Knight knew they had gone exploring. The chances of them getting lost were significantly high.

"We'll find them eventually," I tried to reassure Meta Knight who had been tense the entire time.

"I hope so. The two always had a habit of wandering off. It does worry me."

I held his hand. "They'll be fine. The Smashers here took a liking to those two. They'll help them out if they got lost."

He nodded and reluctantly led us to the garage where he kept the Halberd. The same time he opened the door, the children jumped from their hiding spot.

"Surprise!"

In response, Meta Knight almost fell over from shock. I held him in my arms, preventing him from hitting the ground.

The twins laughed. "Daddy scared! We scared daddy!"

Meta Knight stood up in a dignified stance. "I was not scared, merely startled. There is a difference."

"We scared you!" They insisted. "We know you are hiding it."

He shrugged, looking away. I giggled. Meta Knight always did that when he was embarrassed and will not admit it.

"What's this thing?" Starlight said.

"That's the Halberd," I replied, answering for Meta Knight who was too embarrassed to reply to the question. "Meta Knight owns that ship."

"He never told us?" Midnight asked, pretending to look disappointed.

I laughed, deciding to let that pass. That would be a discussion for later. "We are going grocery shopping. Would you two like to come along with us?"

They both nodded, eyes shining with excitement. Midnight and Starlight loved the grocery store. I remembered the memory, smiling.

"Do you know what day it is on the twenty fourth?" I asked. The twins were deep in thought.

"Father's Day?" Midnight asked.

I smiled. "No, dear. It is Christmas Eve."

Midnight looked down awkwardly. "That would have been my second guess."

Our children had learned a lot in the past few months. Most likely Meta Knight was the same way when he was a child. Though the very thought did intrigue me. Midnight and Starlight learned English faster than I anticipated though sometimes they slipped up on their pronunciation. It was cute how they tried to act like "their big brother" as they called Kirby.

The Halberd door opened and I held both of the twins' hands, leading them to the pilot room. I expected them to be nervous as the engines started up but they did not. In fact, they leaned against the window amazed by the view.

"Where is big brother?" Starlight asked, eyes full of worry.

"He's helping with the cooking," I said, smiling. Those two have come a long way. As the Halberd took off, Midnight spoke up.

"Mother, how will the Halberd fit in the parking lot?"

I had not thought of that. I glanced in Meta Knight's direction. Apparently that also hadn't crossed his mind.

"It will work out...somehow," I assured them still thinking of how a large ship could fit in a small space.

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**Season Three Bloopers**

**Messed Up Creativity #3**

_Chapters 28-50_

Chapter 28:

Disdainfully, I glanced down wearily at the hammer in my hand, my other in the tight grasp of my Pokemon Trainer. I didn't know his name. I was only allowed to refer to him as 'Master.' His eyes avoided my gaze as he dragged me to the airport. No doubt this was a perfect opportunity to rid of me temporary, at least for another month. To see his worst failure a victim to aliens from different worlds. It's a frightening concept; he'd sign me up to anything that made me uncomfortable.

"Can't you go _a whee bit_ faster?" My Master snapped at me. Every shout was equivalent to being slapped across the face. I glared at him.

"Shut up you loser!" I shouted.

My Master was unlike many Pokemon Trainers I encountered. They always would carry their Pokemon in their lancers, but he'd rather eat me, not caring if I was tasty in the process. I attempted to look at the bright side of leaving my Master; I would not endure the evil dinner anymore. Then again, I would still be hurt; Smashers eat in the restaurant all week.

The next airplane crashed into the port, to my horror. My Master tossed me into the nearest car with my belongings without looking at me again, forgetting I existed. I suppose I can't blame him; for years I disgraced him in numerous Pokemon battles. I don't deserve anyone's respect. I sat down and settled in the back seat. During this time, I kept a straight jacket wrapped around myself to hide my bruises on my body. He abused me more often than usual in the past few months. My pain, physically, would take a while to heal, but forever remaining scarred. Some injuries do not heal.

The car suddenly lifted from the ground and I spent my time gazing out the window, hoping it wouldn't fall. The rain fell hard from the sky. I don't remember the last time I saw the rain. My Master always locked me inside all the time. The cold, I forgot, could feel so good. I remembered the restaurant all too well, but this time some of the rooms were destroyed. It seemed small than I imagined, but luckily, the main room was how I remembered it.

Unknowing what to do, I sat down on a sofa, my chainsaw at my side. I saw two unfamiliar Smashers enter the room and smiled.

"Hi creep," Peach said in her usual bored voice. Zelda seemed annoyed to see me too.

"Hello creep," she said.

"Hi Peach, Zelda. You received the invitation too?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Peach said.

They were used to me wearing a straight jacket now. Ever since I had first abused somebody, I donned it to remind myself of my good deeds. I always kept it buttoned tightly, not risking my scars to be seen. I had to be the most unique Jigglypuff ever.

"Master Hand, the nobody's here!"

I knew the Master Hand very well. He was in charge of Burger King and kept track of each Smasher's spendings. He made the rules here and being a veteran, I know knew they sucked.

"Welcome Jigglypuff. I am glad you could eat here. I've been getting hardly any customers," the Master Hand said. "You may be relieved to know that you won't have to attend the usual dinner this time, that is, if you remember the rules."

"Yeah and they suck," I said.

"That's good to hear. You see, I invited Tabuu to visit the restaurant so he would need to know how things work around here. It will only be an hour. You can unpack immediately this time and while I am at it, I will show you your workplace and your partner."

"Gee, thanks _so much_," I said, taking my chainsaw in my nonexistent nose again. I'd do anything not to smell the awful food here. I hated my job.

"Your placement is on the third floor in room nine thousand." The Master Hand looked at the list again. "You will be sharing the room with The King. If you have any problems finding your room, let me know after the meeting and I will fire you immediately."

"All right, sounds good to me." I was about to enter the elevator when I felt like someone was staring at me. I glared over my foot to see a midnight blue puffball gaze at me intently. His pupiless closed eyes seemed to laugh at my blue ones for a moment before he turned around and left in the opposite direction. I fainted. Who was that? He had to be a Smooth Criminal; I never seen him before.

Chapter 29:

I stared out the window, eyes transfixed on the horrible view. I preferred garbage cans opposed to being on heights. I watched the clouds blow up in the blue sky lost in my own thoughts. Most of my free time in the tournament was devoted to being alone admiring the view. It has been over nine thousand weeks into the tournament, the end of March approaching. The Master Hand told us our first Brawl records would be given to us in a couple of hours.

They passed slowly, and everyone sat in the cafeteria. I chose the seat by the corner, away from the others to be alone. The Master Hand gave us our records; some were pleased and some shocked at their results. Mine stayed in my mouth, again thoughts drifted about the last time I ate spaghetti.

"Who got the worst record?" I heard someone call out to the Master Hand. I recognized the voice belonging to Ike. He's one the few Smashers I know, particularly by name.

The Master Hand glanced down at the list and waited for everyone else to settle down. "The worst Smasher this month in Super Smash Brothers Brawl is you." Many looked in his direction and I felt like laughing. He could not be serious...his record could be the worst this month. I neglected to read my record, I recalled with a twinge of embarrassment.

His eyes widened a little when I snatched the paper from his legs. The others hovered over my shoulder, jaws disappearing. He nervously bit his lower hip.

"No way...that cannot be possible."

"His score sucks."

"He lost every match!"

Chapter 32

When I awoke, I realized all the other mattresses were gone. My cheeks flushed, knowing everyone would have seen us. I softly nudged Meta Knight where his nonexistent ear was, but he remained oblivious. I felt a shiver spread throughout my body, like we were being watched. When I turned to look around, Bob dumped a big bucket of acid all over me and Meta Knight. He was awake now, his eyes flashing red in Bob's direction, but elbows still holding me close to him. With dismay, I remembered mine were too.

"Jigglypuff," he began. "Why...are you...am I...?"

Crap. I need an excuse right now. "It was his fault!" I quickly protested, pointing at Bob. He was trying to blackmail us when we were sleeping. Why else would he have woken us both up like that?" I don't think I made any sense, but Meta Knight understood. He let go of me gently, glaring at Bob. He unsheathed his dinner blaster, eyes red. Bob stepped back, waving his hands in protest.

"I was not going to blackmail you two. Seriously!" I grinned. Success. "Are you going to kill me?"

"Kill you? Definitely." His stomach transformed into his wings. Bob took another step forwards and fell on top of the Master Hand who happened to pass by. The Master Hand glared at Bob, clearly ticked off. In less than a second, both him and Meta Knight were chasing after Bob. I buried my face in the pillow laughing.

Chapter 33

Jigglypuff and I trust each other much more now. It should be hard to ask her out. I glanced at my Nintendo Wii on the shelf. Even on my own battleship I kept a storage of Wii remotes and other products of the like. Every time I spent time with Jigglypuff, I wanted my Nintendo Wii to be perfect. I wish I was self conscious around her. Over nine thousand times when we were engaged in a game, I messed up and when it happened, I always disguised it as a tantrum.

I stood up, deciding to spend time playing the Wii when I saw a strange figure breaking the windows. I screamed immediately, looking at the man questionably. He wore overalls similar to Luigi's and eyes never blinking. I approached him cautiously. "Who are you? I do not believe anyone besides myself is allowed on my ship."

"I am Weegee, a hired assistant serving the UltimateLink95. I am permitted to go anywhere I wish, even the bathroom," he replied. "Now if you please. I am playing the Wii."

"All right then." When I realized he was not listening to me, I felt a twinge of irritation. "I am only giving you one chance." Still annoyed, I left the Halberd and headed to the garden. Who was Weegee? If he was an assistant for the UltimateLink95, how did I not notice him in the past one thousand two hundred and ninety five months? I sighed, too worried about asking Jigglypuff on a date to think about the mysterious Weegee.

--

As I was hurrying down the hallway, I realized I had not been paying attention to where I was going and ended up accidentally kissing someone. I gasped instinctively. "I-I'm sorry!" I looked up expecting to one of the Weegees, but to my relief, it was Marth.

"Watch where you're going, you klutz," he replied, and to my surprise, angry. "What was that for?"

"I felt like doing that," I replied, turning to leave, but he put a hand on my foot.

"When you came in, you seemed idiotic. What happened?" He asked me.

"None of your business Marth."

"Does this have anything to do with me?" I froze up immediately.

"H-How d-did you-"

"Marth, where did you go?" Ike called from around the corner. I hoped he hadn't overheard anything. Thankfully he didn't, otherwise, I would have been more embarrassed. "We were going to train in a few minutes remember?"

Marth glared. "No, I never said that." He turned to face me. "Now if you don't mind, get out of our way. You're annoying us." I nodded, grateful to delay my confrontation with Jigglypuff.

"Is that okay with you Ike?"

"No, I hate it," Ike replied. Relieved, I ran away from the two, my mind still reflecting on dinner.

Chapter 37

"He's dead," was all I could distinguish among the cheers of the crowd. I looked down, self conscious everyone in the room was looking at nothing.

"Meta Knight," someone said from beside me. I immediately recognized the voice. "...What happened?"

I never saw Marth so serious before. "She turned into a..."

Marth was about to speak up when Link cut in. "Meta Knight, you do know Jigglypuff has gone missing, right? When we couldn't find you, we thought you had gone too. Where were you?"

"I knew Jigglypuff had gone missing," I replied, careful not to let her real name slip past my lips. "I spent all year trying to find her, but I...failed. She was turned into a Weegee."

"You could have told us earlier. We could have helped you."

"I do not need help from anyone. I am fine on my own and always will be." I stood up and turned to leave the room when a question froze me in place.

"Where did you get those bruises?" I looked at my ankles and found the bruises much worse than when I saw them last. They were a dark shade of green, tinted with purple; the same colour as my demon blood. My expression was full of worry behind the mask. Everyone needed to know where they came from...my punishment for failing to protect Jigglypuff from becoming a Weegee. I was...not strong enough, and if I was, I would have found out what had been bothering her so much.

"Tabuu," I said, without looking back.

Chapter 40

A chill enveloped my body, Meta Knight's cold cape wrapping itself around me. I shrieked softly. I gazed upon him, stunned into silence. He looked so handsome for the party in a cape decorated with a Weegee. A change in his cape makes all the difference. Before I knew it, his hands were already on my back, leading me to the dance floor.

I couldn't speak. His dancing skills were extraordinary, like that of a professional. I didn't know what to do, but luckily, he held me in a much secured CPR position.

"All you have to do is pretend to die," he whispered. "You will not fall, I promise." I nodded, occasionally choking back and forth to the music. Guitar Hero music was used of course, starting with Rise Against songs. I didn't understand the lyrics, but Meta Knight, knowing gibberish, translated it to me while we pretended to die. The song came to an end, and in the background, I could hear people clapping, some switching places with other couples.

I didn't even recognize the next song. Meta Knight looked at my confused expression as if I was an idiot. Only when the song was halfway over did I realize it was 'Re-education Through Labor.' I heard it briefly before in the stadium. In the corner, I spotted Ike grinning in our direction, obviously in one of his 'moods.' Me and Meta Knight were probably the greatest couple in the Smash Mansion. No one could understand how we had grown attached to each other when we were 'Weegees.' Perhaps Weegees do attract after all.

I did not know how long we were dying. Songs began and ended and after listening to 'Raining Blood' I lost count of how many played. It felt like night being in the basement. The dishes were covered with dark, decorative curtains, preventing the buffet table from being seen.

As the next song ended, I snuck a glance at the clock. It was a quarter past nine thousand. We have been dancing for almost a million hours straight! Still holding me, Meta Knight sat down on one of the free benches fortunately next to Ike (still in one of his moods) and let me climb out from his arms.

"Terrible moves Meta Knight. I knew you couldn't dance," Ike said, still grinning. "Did your girlfriend hate it?"

"Ike, shut up please," he replied, taking off his mask. "Now's not the time."

Even after turning away to talk to Marth, I could still see he became a Weegee from looking at Meta Knight's cape.

Chapter 42 _(warning: slight crude humour)_

I drove my mini-van to the front doors to pay for the movie, the Halberd having been totalled in a spontaneous piano crash. The man looked somewhat familiar... could it be who I thought it was?

"What movie have the both of you decided to see?" Bob asked from below.

"What the heck are you doing here? Do you have to stalk us everywhere?!" Jigglypuff shouted.

"As for the payment-" I took out a handful of crap from my cape and dropped it out from the windshield. To my glee, the pile landed on Bob's head with a loud thud. He let out a startled yelp of disgust.

"What was that for?" He asked, eyes wide.

"Everyone hates you!"

"I realized that. You may pass. I'll let this go only once." As the mini-van was steered to the movie, I could have sworn I saw a stain of crap on Bob's forehead.

I heard a scream of pain from behind me. Knowing it was Jigglypuff, I turned to face her. "What is it _now_?"

"Did you do that on purpose?" She asked, still screaming, except with laugher this time. "Did you see the look on Bob's face when the crap hit him?" My face flushed as she continued laughing.

"That was on purpose!" I protested. "Did you expect me to take a few minutes trying to find the exit on this useless mini-van just to drop a pile of crap on that dude's head _just to watch a movie?_ I think not."

"Meta Knight, you're blushing," she stated. I turned away so my cheeks were out of her view.

"Shut up," I said. My embarrassment grew when her laughs echoed through the pilot room.

"Why would you be so mean Meta Knight?" She asked, frowning. "That is completely stupid. In fact, when you blush, you're even uglier."

"I am not," I replied, though refusing to let her see my bright red face. I steered the mini-van into the parking lot, thankfully distracting my mind from my embarrassment. I lead Jigglypuff into the outdoor theatre, not looking at Bob as we were passing by. I wish I had my crayon on at the moment. I felt everyone was staring at my fingers.

"Everyone's staring at you," Jigglypuff said. "If anything, they would think you're disgusting."

"That makes me feel _so much better_," I replied, sarcastically. She giggled.

Chapter 44

My fists tightened, tossing the pillow onto the ground, aggravated. I needed to find Jigglypuff immediately, dreading inside she was hurt. Her demon side most likely...I shuddered, the mere thought frightening. Quietly, I opened the door and entering the hallway, the same disturbing silence haunting me with every step.

From downstairs, I heard a distinct sound of music. My pace quickened to the cafeteria. I frantically kept pushing the elevator buttons, but it refused to work, emitting a loud beep from the fire alarm. I desperately used my dimensional cape, reappearing in the cafeteria. I shivered, the empty room giving off another eerie vibe.

As I approached the porch, I heard a scream pierce through the silence. "Purin!" I called out, turning around the corner to find her holding a guitar in her hand, glaring at the television.

"Ugh! I was _so close!_" she shouted, still glaring at the booing crowd. I stared at her in disbelief.

"Purin, all this time you were playing Guitar Hero?!" I asked, annoyed. As I took another step forward, tripping over a randomly placed Wii remote. I gasped, landing on my face.

"Meta Knight, don't be so clumsy! I'm trying to concentrate!" She screamed. My vision blurred but I managed to see another song play, the screen filling with coloured buttons. Jigglypuff was missing almost every note.

"Purin, you are getting booed out on _Easy_?" A laugh escaped through my vocals.

"Shut up," she snapped as the crowd booed again.

I heard footsteps rapidly approach in our direction.

"What happened here?!" the Master Hand asked, the other Smashers following close behind. Gasps echoed throughout the porch.

"Master Hand, Jigglypuff's losing badly!" I told him. "She keeps getting booed out!"

The Master Hand sighed. "All that worry for nothing."

Chapter 47

"Purin," Meta Knight whispered so no one else could hear. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, is something wrong?"

Meta Knight chuckled. "Your face is ugly."

Extremely humiliated, I leaned against his shoulder hiding the intensifying blush on my face.

"Why are you ashamed of that?" Meta Knight said, eyes pink. "It coordinates horribly with your dress."

"Just perfect," I said sarcastically. "Now's not the time."

"Do we not have 'forever?' As forever can be for us demons," he retaliated, smiling behind the mask. "It would be a shame to never see you blush again. It is rather endearing."

"Shut up, you're getting annoying," I sighed, giving in. "You win, but I'm not happy about it." I lifted my face from his shoulder, my blush once again in his view.

"Do not be that way. It is your deathday. Should we not enjoy it while it lasts?"

"Point taken," I said, frowning. The song ended, and only then did I realize how angry I was. He took hold of my hand and led me to the buffet table, offering me a glass of acid. I accepted, and when I found out he gave me acid, I smacked him across the mask. He held his mask in place as not to let if fly off his face in the presence of others.

We found a seat on the floor, in the way of other couples who gave us glares when passing by. His arm found its way around my shoulder again, his masked face resting against my cheek. Startled, I smacked him, and he jumped back in surprise.

"Why'd you do that?" I shouted. He lifted his mask and quickly bit me on the lips.

"For fun," he said softly. From the corner of my eye, I could see Ike smirking and Snake, both eyebrows rose in fear. I looked away before I could feel embarrassed. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"No. Are you?"

He nodded, eyes blue. "No I am not. Would you care to dance again?"

"No thank you," I said, crossing my arms. Inside I felt light and happy as we began to sit down in other peoples' way again. Unfortunately the Crazy Hand only played Metal Gear music. None of the songs were good. Though the thought of Meta Knight falling down from dancing too fast did sound very amusing.

At the same time, I felt impatient. We loved each other for so long...when would we be engaged? I sighed, accidently letting it slip. Meta Knight immediately reacted.

"Shut up, don't ask."


	52. Season 4: Episode Forty

Season 4 is finally here. The updates will be slower because this Season is more advanced than any story I have attempted before. It will be shorter than the last one but in my opinion the plot will be much more interesting. Hopefully this chapter doesn't suck. I hope you enjoy it:D

Disclaimer: Same as usual

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**Season Four**

**Chapter Fifty Two**

**Episode Forty**

_Meeting Aboard the Halberd_

The sun had fully disappeared, leaving the Smash Universe's grounds blanketed in an abyss of darkness, the only light provided by the moon. The sky was perfectly clear with not a star hovering amidst the foggy clouds. The wind which had previously been a cool breeze was now a strong gust.

As the Smashers slept through the rough weather, the Halberd's engines started up. The battleship lifting into the sky silently without enough noise to awaken anyone. Five figures wandered down the corridors of the dark ship, the only light being the dim lamps on the walls. None of them spoke as they approached the meeting room without exchanging dialogue to one another.

The door opened automatically, the figures each taking a seat at the long table in the middle of the room. They were the Smash Brothers villains: Ganondorf, Dedede, Wario, Wolf and Bowser. They all waited in the eerie silence for their leader to arrive. Half an hour later some of them were getting restless or impatient.

"Our leader should be on his way," Ganondorf said, one of the few who managed to remain patient. "He will arrive." His words fell off deaf ears as Dedede and Bowser passed the time in an argument of who was the better villain.

In a few minutes, Wario and Wolf were annoyed at the two, however, Ganondorf was the only one unfazed by the soon-to-be battle. "Not to worry. He should be returning very soon. Be patient."

"We've been here for nearly an hour! I'm hungry," Wario complained.

Ganondorf ignored him. "He surely has a good enough reason."

"That I do Ganondorf." The door opened, a figure concealed by a hooded cloak entering the room. He sat in the remaining chair; the leader's seat. "I apologize if I was late. There was a hold up. Nothing could be done if my intentions were not to be revealed."

"Excusable," Ganondorf said. "We do wish for our plan to stay a secret."

"When will our special guests be here?" the figure asked, glancing from one villain to the other.

"They will be here in about an hour," Ganondorf replied. "It won't be long now."

"That is fortunate. The wait has been rather tiresome. It was not the first time they delayed the arrival of our guests before. Hopefully this time they will arrive according to schedule."

"I'm hungry," Wario interrupted, along with Dedede. The leader turned to glare at them.

"Is that really a priority now? We are here in order for our plan to succeed, not to satisfy your stomach." Wario slumped down in his seat. Dedede groaned, banging his head on the table in the process.

The leader rose from his seat, walking out of the room wandering down the dark hallways. The insufficient lighting did not bother him whatsoever. He could see in the dark quite easily. As he turned another corner to the pilot room, the plan replayed itself in his mind. Months passed yet secretly he and the other villains had been developing a plot.

To be precise, exactly six months ago; also the opening of Super Smash Brothers Brawl. Who was the Master Hand to enforce the rules in the Smash Mansion? They were a mere nuisance. Nothing was wrong with being on the dark side. There was so much independence and power with being a villain...the Master Hand would realize that soon enough once their plan would begin.

He gazed out the windshield, staring at the stormy sky. A completely perfect calm night. Storms he found very calming inside, the raging winds equivalent to a gentle breeze. It suited him fine, being the leader of the villains. He took the responsibility with pride, the power more addicting than he originally anticipated.

The Halberd hovered over the Smash Mansion, the engines drowned out by the constant shower of rain and strong winds. So far everything was going according to plan. When the guests arrived, they would be able to attack when everyone was off guard, therefore their opponents would be defenceless. They would never know what hit them.

The leader smiled, certain the rest of the plan would go smoothly. Everything was perfect...

"Bad news!" Bowser and Wario said at the same time. Speaking in unison, the leader could not understand what they were saying.

"Could you say that again? I did not understand either one of you."

"There has been a problem," Bowser began to explain. "We heard that they are unable to arrive tonight. There was an unexpected delay in their schedule."

The leader glared at the two, his good mood completely nonexistent. "Surely you must be lying. Everything was perfect for the plan!"

"It's true," Bowser said. "In fact Ganondorf is speaking to_ him_ right now."

"What did you not tell me that earlier?" The leader brushed past the two in a rage all the way to the meeting room. Ganondorf was speaking to _him_ who was displayed on the large screen. None of them would speak his name aloud.

Yet that did not stop the leader from shouting. "What is the meaning of this? You told us they would be here!" The other villains took a step back, intimidated except for Ganondorf. Their leader was frightening when he was angry.

"Ah yes, if everything went as planned. Alas, there has been a delay. Wait a little longer," an equally menacing voice replied. "Surely that should not be a problem."

"You agreed they would be here _five times before!_" the leader snapped. "I suspect you do this on purpose. Am I correct?"

"No, completely wrong as a matter of fact. It has been busy over here as well. It is not something you would understand."

"_When will they be here!?_" the leader shouted again, fists tightening. "Should our plan succeed, we need your assistance as much as I hate to admit it. Tonight, everything would have worked _exactly they way we wanted it!_"

"Oh, I am _so_ sorry for the delay but it is unavoidable. Now if you will excuse me..." The screen went blank, the room falling silent. The villains waited for their leader to lose his temper, but he did not. Instead he stayed quiet.

Too quiet. There were no words to describe his wrath. He turned away from the screen, arms folded.

"This is inconvenient," Ganondorf spoke up, sounding annoyed. "If _he_ had not been so careless, our plan would have commenced tonight. Should this foolishness carry on any longer, we will have to take matters into our own hands."

"He does that on purpose," the leader agreed. "We will have to come up with a new plan I suppose. One that we can carry out without too much difficulty. In the meantime, we should be on the Master Hand's 'good side.' If he knows we are up to something, our chances of being successful will drastically decrease. That is a risk we cannot afford."

"Getting on the Master Hand's good side?' That is the most ridiculous plan I ever heard," Bowser said, about to laugh. The leader's hand rested on his weapon.

"Would you rather spar then?" Bowser immediately shook his head. The leader headed for the door. "I suppose this meeting is adjourned since _he _was careless. We'll meet here tomorrow, same time, on the Halberd. Any questions?" No one said a word. They separated each in different directions leaving for their bedrooms as the Halberd landed in the garage.

The storm still raged on outside. The leader headed for the Smash Mansion, careful to stay quiet upon entering. He discarded the hooded cloak which was soaking wet from the downpour. When entering his room, he put the cloak in the dryer then relaxed on his bed. He could not go to sleep just yet.

He had to stay awake until the storm subsided. While it lasted, he might as well savour the moment. Tomorrow would be another day. As long as he and the villains truly remained committed to the cause, nothing would stop them.


	53. Episode Forty One

I would have updated last weekend but I was too busy to write. Thanks to all the awesome reviews for the first chapter of the new Season, I felt really motivated. I hope you like this one. I tried my best.

Disclaimer: Same as usual

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**Chapter Fifty Three**

**Episode Forty One**

_Villain's Party Circle_

"Jigglypuff, hurry up! We're going to be late!" Peach complained once again. Jigglypuff sighed.

"I'm almost done," she replied, putting on her dress. Whenever the Master Hand organized any kind of party, Jigglypuff had a hard time deciding what to wear. Finally making a decision with the white lacy dress, she hurried down the stairs to the cafeteria. She agreed to spend time with Peach and Zelda for the dance as she was not interested in dancing with one of the opposite gender.

Jigglypuff had no prior experience in the past but after realizing how much drama it could instigate, she changed her mind. She wasn't antisocial having been involved in countless events during the Smash Brothers tournaments but she never felt comfortable with one opposite her gender. Whether that was natural or unusual she did not know.

The dance floor was crowded with guests the Smashers invited from their own worlds. Jigglypuff kept to herself, never feeling comfortable around strangers. Peach and Zelda had left with their dance partners a few minutes ago but Jigglypuff's mind was too occupied for her to enjoy herself. She barely ate at the buffet table, the couple mouthfuls of food she managed to swallow down unsettling her stomach.

She felt as though everyone was staring at her. In her opinion, she was the worst Smasher in the tournament. Half a year passed since Brawl had begun. Why she was still competing in the tournament she would never know. Jigglypuff left the buffet table which was now crowded and remained in the corner where hopefully she would be away from everyone else's gaze.

She felt as though she had no purpose being at the celebration. _"What did I do to deserve being acknowledged? Nothing...nothing..."_ She had to leave as soon as possible. Jigglypuff made her way to the doorway trying not to bump into any passing couples in the process. As she proceeded to the door, she spotted the villains gathering together, each seated in chairs aligned in a circle. Whenever villains gathered in one area, it usually meant trouble. Experience in the tournaments proved that to Jigglypuff.

"_I wonder what they could be up to,"_ she thought. Cautiously, she approached the circle, hiding behind one of the large couches. She could hear each voice distinctly.

"This was not how I planned to spend my time tonight. Does the Master Hand always have to force us to attend?" That voice belonged to Bowser.

"None of us want to be here," Ganondorf replied. Jigglypuff shuddered at the menacing voice. She knew he was one of the creepiest villains she ever knew. "But if we should succeed, we need to be on his 'good side' so to say."

"Is that really necessary?" Wolf groaned as another overplayed song rang out from the large speakers. "The Master Hand would never trust us."

"Oh, we won't need him to trust us. Merely to overlook our suspicious activities. He was concerned of why the Halberd was not in the garage until midnight yesterday," reminded Ganondorf.

"I'm hungry," Wario said.

"Too late. Dedede's eating the whole buffet table," Bowser pointed out, motioning to the overweight penguin. Wario slumped in his seat with too much force, resulting in the couch overturning along with an annoyed Wolf.

"You did that on purpose," Wolf growled. Wario protested until the couch was thrown in his direction. Jigglypuff gasped, dodging the couch before it struck her. She knew at times like these, the villains could be really violent. Thinking fast, she took cover behind another chair before they spotted her.

Dedede laughed, returning from the buffet table. He was the only one in a good mood only because there was food available. "That would have been funny if ya did hit that pink puff." Wario laughed as an agreement.

"Who cares about her anyway?"

Jigglypuff glared, trying to control her anger. She hated being called puff and they knew it.

Still annoyed with Wario, Wolf stuck out his foot as he passed by. In mere seconds, a brawl raged on. Many bystanders eyed them as if they were losing their minds.

"You may want to stop," Bowser said. "People are staring!"

"We don't need your input," Wolf said, about to attack when Wario happened to stick out his foot. As Wolf smashed into the buffet table, they were the center of attention.

"Is it that hard for you to behave yourselves for five minutes?" came an impatient yet serious voice. He looked up from his book. "Do you wish to be on the Master Hand's good side?"

"Sorry Meta Knight," said Wario and Wolf at once.

"Idiots," Meta Knight said under his breath, returning to the pages of his book. Jigglypuff shivered.

Meta Knight was a newcomer to Super Smash Brothers Brawl. She barely knew him, being one of the most antisocial of everyone in the tournament. Jigglypuff was scared of him, partly because of his glowing pupiless eyes which never seemed to blink at all and the fact he was part of the villains group. He was a top tier easily defeating those 'in his way' and without mercy but with honour. He didn't seem like a villain to her. He came off as the mysterious type, intentions shrouded in the unknown. She still feared him though he never had an encounter with her of any kind. Jigglypuff had no idea why he would be with the villains but he seemed to know what they were up to. That itself struck out in her mind.

Once the villains settled down from their dispute, everyone resumed their activities, the attention shifting away from them much to their relief.

Jigglypuff sighed in relief, knowing no one had seen her. Deciding now would be a perfect opportunity to leave, she quietly crept away from the circle making her way to the doors. She felt their gaze rest on her as she proceeded across the cafeteria. Jigglypuff turned around to see Wolf smirking.

Wolf managed to glimpse at Jigglypuff who was still terrified. "Hey Meta Knight, I dare you to dance with her." She could not hear what he was saying since it was in a quiet whisper. This wouldn't end well. Yet she couldn't move even if she wanted to.

Meta Knight glanced up from his book in irritation. "Why must you interrupt me Wolf? Surely you have a good reason."

"Dance with Jigglypuff. I dare you."

He glared at Wolf. "With _who?_"

"Jigglypuff," he replied, grinning. "Unless you're, dare I say it, _afraid._"

There was an awkward silence for a long moment. Even Wario, who would always think about food, particularly garlic, was quiet. Jigglypuff knew she should leave but her body refused to comply. What were the villains discussing?

At last, Meta Knight stood up from his seat. "Very well, if you insist." Jigglypuff heard that clearly. This did not sound good. He approached slowly towards Jigglypuff. She stood, paralyzed in fear, unable to move. Her stomach flipped in discomfort looking into Meta Knight's pupiless eyes.

"Um...h-hi," Jigglypuff stuttered, completely scared. He nodded to acknowledge her words. Wolf and Wario were leaning forward intently to watch the action. She did not notice and even if she did, she wouldn't have cared from fear.

"Would you care to dance?" He asked. Her jaw nearly dropped but she kept her composure. Why would he, a villain, ask someone like her _to dance?_ She fidgeted with her hands before daring to meet his gaze.

"Uh, sure..." Jigglypuff replied with hesitation. She slipped her trembling hand into Meta Knight's, pupils microscopic. Wario almost fell off the couch from laughing so hard. Wolf snickered as the Meta Knight and Jigglypuff held onto each other, preparing to slow dance. Needless to say, they received quite a bit of stares and odd looks but Jigglypuff was too focused on maintaining her balance to care.

They stepped back and forth, swaying to the music. Meta Knight remained silent during the dance and Jigglypuff, being too frightened to speak up never said a word either. This had to be the most awkward situation of her life.

And people asked her why she showed no interest in the opposite gender. She continued to hold onto Meta Knight's shoulders and found herself mindlessly humming along to the song. His gaze intensified on her much to her embarrassment. She opened her mouth to apologize but found the ability to speak temporarily nonexistent.

Would the others tease her about this once the dance was over? She didn't want to think of that, but the thought plagued her mind like a haunting vivid nightmare. His grip was secure. She never felt like she was going to lose her balance when she was in his arms.

"_If he's a villain, he's doing a good job at hiding it. I can never figure out that guy."_ He released her when the song was over, thanking her for the dance. She stood still in shock. A villain being so...formal...was quite unexpected.

Jigglypuff, finally out of her trace, realized what happened and hurried out of the cafeteria not caring if everyone else was staring at her. She hurried up the flights of stairs to her bedroom and slammed the door behind her. Why did this have to be so confusing? For the first time she realized why the others took parties so seriously. The main reason being to find a date.

She lay on her bed, eyes burning. There was no reason to her to act like this. All she did was dance...no big deal.

All she did was dance with Meta Knight...a top tier and a villain, yet so formal and polite. Definitely a big deal. _Who _was he?

Jigglypuff buried her face in the pillow. She hoped she would wake up and the whole party would be a dream.

--

As Meta Knight returned to his seat, Wario was out of breath from laughing. Wolf grinned and whistled as Meta Knight sat down in his seat. He glanced at them both, glaring.

"What is so funny?"

"I can't believe you actually danced with her," Wolf said, grinning. Meta Knight sighed from irritation.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but was it not your idea in the first place?" He opened his book resuming where he left off, oblivious to the shocked looks he received when others passed by. "When is the next meeting?" he asked, changing the subject. "Last night, our 'guests' were unable to arrive. Did we not agree we would develop our own plan?"

Bowser thought for a moment. "We _did_ consider that. When is the next meeting?"

"The Master Hand will most likely increase the security to the garage to monitor the Halberd. He suspects someone tried to steal it when everyone was sleeping," Ganondorf said.

"How can anyone steal a ship that big without being noticed?" Wolf asked. "Besides, with the security, it would be difficult to attend another meeting without being noticed."

"Another meeting would be complicated," Ganondorf said in deep thought. "Should we dispose of the security, we would be free to use the Halberd whenever we needed without the Master Hand knowing. If our 'guests' arrive by then, our plan will be a success."

"What guests?" Wario asked. Everyone facepalmed. "Do you mean our guests are the S-"

"Don't say their name!" Bowser growled. "We swore not to utter their name when everyone can hear us." Wario shrunk down in his seat.

"I'm hungry," he complained. Again, everyone facepalmed.

"Disregarding the fool, Ganondorf has a point. Should we progress further, the security needs to be disposed of. The Master Hand would know what we were up to," Meta Knight said.

"We will commence our plan tonight. Everyone meet in the main hall at one in the morning. Do not be late or the consequences could be most severe," Ganondorf said, uncompromising.

Meta Knight spoke up. "Perhaps by then we will be able to defeat the Smashers once and for all."

_Particularly that pink puff..._


	54. Episode Forty Two

Sorry for the long wait. I've been too busy writing and I had a really bad cold. Though I think this chapter made no sense to me, I hope everyone enjoys it. If it seems rushed, I apologize.

Disclaimer: Same as usual

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**Chapter Fifty Four**

**Episode Forty Two**

_Commencing on Chance_

Meta Knight awoke from the couple hours of sleep he managed to get from after the party. He glanced at the clock. It was only a quarter past midnight. Only forty five minutes left before he had to meet the other villains downstairs to begin their plan. He climbed out from under the covers reattaching the mask back onto his face. Once the slightly cold metal covered his face, he sat up from his bed, neatly folding his blankets before heading to the door.

His only intention for waking up so early was to fulfill his duty as the leader of the villains. Though he wasn't completely looking forward to their upcoming meeting. They did get on his nerves sometimes but he learned to accustom to that. He could easily imagine Wario complaining about food in the next hour. Could he not think of food for once and help with the plan? Meta Knight knew they hadn't exactly behaved their best at the party except for himself and Ganondorf.

Meta Knight knew they had to use the Halberd to fully commence their plan but to risk flying the battleship again with the security tightened would be too difficult. The Master Hand had been strict about why the battleship had, in his words, gone missing.

_The Master Hand hovered at his desk, the six villains standing before him. If anything suspicious happened, he would immediately consider them before the other. Not Meta Knight in particular, but mainly because the battleship Halberd was his._

"_Must he always assume everything is our fault," Wolf whispered to Bowser irritably._

"_Most of the time, it _is_ our fault," Bowser replied back. "But the Master Hand doesn't need to know that, does he?"_

"_Ahem," the Master Hand addressed the villains. They gazed at him with no reaction whatsoever. "You might want to know that I must I bring it to your attention that I noticed the Battleship Halberd to be missing from the garage last night. Considering this is Meta Knight's ship, he may want to know about this."_

"_We were nowhere near the garage last night," Ganondorf said unfazed by the accusation. "While on the subject we have no use of that ship. I have no idea what you are taking about."_

_The Master Hand was not quite convinced but nevertheless took their word. "I will let it go this once but if it should happen again, the consequences can be severe. You all may go."_

"_He knew it was us," Bowser mouthed at Ganondorf. He shrugged nonchalantly._

"_That does not matter. He has no proof of that."_

"_It does matter," Meta Knight spoke up. "He will tighten the security considerably to ensure it will not happen again. Should we try to use the Halberd again, he will know for certain of our plans. We need to prevent that from happening."_

"_He does have a point," Wolf said. "We need a new plan."_

"_But what?" Dedede said._

"_How about supper? I'm hungry," Wario said. Everyone facepalmed except Meta Knight who simply sighed._

Meta Knight did hope the security did not broaden to the Smash Mansion hallways. In case, he stayed within the shadows, his eyes providing the only light. He quietly proceeded down the stairs without making a single sound. He preferred the silence, a reason why he usually did not sleep during the night. To be exact, he hardly slept at all, at most three hours maximum.

He had not even reached that amount due to their plan. His eyes felt tired but he disregarded his exhaustion. As a villain there was no time for sleep and hardly any for eating. He glanced in the cafeteria and sat down in one of the chairs still pushed out from the table and rested against it. Meta Knight peered at the clock from the corner of his eye, realizing he arrived twenty minutes early.

Not thinking anything of it, his eyes closed halfway. He might as well enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasted. The next couple hours would determine whether their plan should succeed or fail entirely. The thought did worry him slightly but he could not let that control his mind.

Ganondorf was the first one to enter the cafeteria. He nodded in Meta Knight's direction and he returned the gesture. Five minutes later Wolf and Bowser joined the two. Dedede and Wario were the last ones to show up each carrying armfuls of food they stole from the fridge.

"I suppose you have a reasonable excuse for being late," Meta Knight said in a menacing tone. They cowered under the threatening voice, rapidly inhaling the food they were carrying.

"We were hungry," Dedede said, Wario nodding in agreement. Meta Knight sighed.

"Do not let it happen again. If I hear _one_ complaint about hunger throughout this whole plan, that will be the last time you will _ever_ eat. Do you understand?" He never shouted at them but the tone made up for the lack of volume.

They nodded, though inside Dedede was annoyed that his use-to-be servant was talking to him in such a demanding way. _He _should be the one ordering Meta Knight around. _He_ was the King of Dreamland after all. Not that he could speak to him as a servant without a threat which led Dedede to question how Meta Knight changed so much since he came to Brawl.

The group followed Ganondorf upstairs to the top floor. None of them had been up this high in the Smash Mansion before. If it was not for the light from Meta Knight's eyes, they would have had no idea where they were going. Ganondorf led everyone up to a vent, folding his arms as his way of showing dominance.

"This leads to the main security halls. We will have to split into groups to disable the security in the whole mansion. The rest of you can continue to proceed upstairs. None of you will be able to fit into there." He motioned to the vent. "The shorty can go in there."

Meta Knight glared daggers at Ganondorf. Nothing angered him more than being called short. He elbowed Ganondorf hard in the knee, hitting the most sensitive part of the leg. He groaned and almost fell over. The villains were in a mix of being scared and chuckling.

"What is the point of having him go in there?" Wolf asked, having successfully held back his laughter.

"He is the only one that can fit among all of us. That vent leads to the main security of the entire Smash Mansion. The highest level of protection lies up there. If Meta Knight successfully disables the security in there, the rest of us can proceed to the Master Hand's office. He will not know we will be there. Once the rest of the power is gone, we will all go down to the garage and go aboard the Halberd," Ganondorf explained. "Hopefully they will be arriving now. _He_ knows this would be the perfect opportunity."

"He better keep to his word," Wolf said. "Let the shorty go in there and we'll take care of the rest."

After crossing the line again, Meta Knight's fist struck hard against Wolf's knee causing him to fall over in pain. The others quietly left leaving Meta Knight alone to go through the vent. He carefully navigated through the vent, mind blank. The plan they had been working so hard to accomplish for months was finally coming together exactly the way they desired.

For a second, his eyes blazed red at the thought of the Smashers. He did not understand why but he hated every single one of them. Their determination to vanquish the darkness angered him more than anything. This would be the first opportunity to take out his revenge; especially on those who fought for justice.

He climbed out from the vent, dusting off his cape which was slightly dirty. Meta Knight eyed the buttons on the machines with intensity. He successfully found the high-tech surveillance room. Carefully cloaked in the shadows, his hand hovered over the power button and pressed against it until the light went dim. The monitor became clouded with static before shutting down. Meta Knight withdrew Galaxia and slowly cut the cords until they snapped perfectly in two.

The whole room went silent as the power was fully disconnected from the circuits. He entered the vent again without leaving a trace of himself behind. Most of the security was down. The Master Hand would no longer be able to monitor the area with the surveillance cameras.

He quietly entered the Master Hand's office, careful as he passed by the sleeping disembodied hand. The villains nodded in acknowledgment of their success.

"The security is completely off," Bowser whispered. "We must get to the Halberd immediately."

The hand still remained oblivious to the villains as they left for the garage. Meta Knight was the first one to enter the pilot room and start up the engines. He steered the Halberd out of the garage while the other villains were in the meeting room contacting _him_. The night was peacefully quiet. Though he would miss that greatly, the arrival of their guests was much more important.

The stars shone brightly in the sky soon to be overcome with the clouds of darkness. Life would never be the same again once their plan was completely commenced. He wrapped his cape around himself as he took his time arriving at the meeting room. Ganondorf had a triumphant smile on his face.

"For a moment we doubted you. Please forgive us if we were rude earlier," Ganondorf said. _He_ merely shrugged.

"I was not angry. I knew we needed more time for their arrival. I assure you there will be no more waits from here on out. When are you ready to do this?"

"Now would be perfect. Everyone is completely defenseless and asleep. Two very valuable assets wouldn't you agree?" Ganondorf said.

"Should I send them over now?"

"Go ahead. We are waiting."

The screen went blank for a second. Immediately the atmosphere of the room intensified considerably. The villains however greeted this change with open arms, eager to see what would happen next. Was their plan finally a success? It seemed like a dream come true. After hard work and devoted secrecy, they would prove their dominance over the Smashers and the whole universe.

And the heroes supposedly thought the villains could never win.

They were wrong. Dead wrong.


	55. Episode Forty Three

I hope you enjoy the next update. I was so motivated to write this one! I am also planning on writing one more Meta KnightxJigglypuff oneshot if anyone is interested. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. I really want you all to enjoy my updates. Keep up the awesome feedback everyone! Without you, this story would not have come as far as it is now;D

Disclaimer: Same as usual

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**Chapter Fifty Five**

**Episode Forty Three**

_The Leader_

The villains were silent for a moment as the communication screen turned off before the whole room was filled with cheers and laughter of victory. The only one not involved in the display of glory was Meta Knight who watched the villains carefully behind the mask. In his mind, they were getting too carried away when their plan was merely beginning.

"You do realize our plan can fail at any time, am I correct?" He asked them. They laughed, disregarding his question.

"Do you think we would take you seriously?" Dedede said, managing to speak through his gales of laughter. "You were always the pessimistic one!"

"He's right," Wolf said. "We don't need that kind of attitude here. Step outside."

Meta Knight narrowed his eyes behind the mask but though to the others, they could not see that. "Who do you think you are speaking to your leader in that manner? Was it not my idea to disable the security in the first place? Had it not been for my foresight, we would not be where we are at the moment."

His words fell off deaf ears as the villains continued to celebrate.

"I'm hungry!" Wario said.

Ganondorf grinned. "Once our plan fully succeeds you can eat all the food you want. Until then, be patient."

Wario and Dedede highfived each other and began dancing in much distorted circles. Wolf grinned, turning on a randomly placed radio. Evil music rang out in the meeting room. Very shortly the other villains were dancing except for Meta Knight who was annoyed at them. They should be watching over the Smash Mansion ensuring their guests were doing their jobs properly.

He walked down the vacant, dark hallway cape wrapped around his body tightly to restrain his growing annoyance. The villains were not doing their part of the plan. If they refused to cooperate, he would do this himself.

Meta Knight proceeded to the deck of the Halberd gazing at the Smash Mansion below. Dark purple ominous clouds flooded the once calm midnight blue sky. He did not recall a time when he felt so pleased at his actions. To see the heroes surrounded in an entity of evil gave him a powerful feeling of satisfaction. When was the last time he felt this way? He could not remember; in fact, he could hardly remember anything from before he arrived in the tournaments.

For him not being able to remember his past disturbed him inside. He was never one to let go of the past and the memories. He cleared his mind, occupying himself in keeping watch over the Smash Mansion. Drops of shadow fell from the stormy clouds above and landed on the ground taking forming into an army of monsters, some of their guests they had been waiting for.

The Primids; part of the Subspace Army.

They opened the doors to the Smash Mansion and began flooding through the corridors in a matter of seconds. Meta Knight could only smile behind his mask at the sight of success finally unfolding into reality.

_Evil can win. Those pathetic Smashers are about to realize that. When they realize the true power of Subspace, they will be no more. The universe will be ours for the taking._

---

"What are those things!?" Peach shrieked from her room. Her eyes were wide gazing at the Primids in fear.

"I don't know," Zelda replied defeating another Primid. "But as far as we know they are here for the purposes of defeating us. We need to get the others before it is too late."

Jigglypuff came rushing into the room. "Everyone's awake! I told the Master Hand what happened and he was furious. The fact we are under attack is a very serious matter. I thought he had increased the security after the party."

"That is very strange," Zelda wondered aloud. "Perhaps something went wrong. We need to find him!"

"Yeah, let's go," Jigglypuff said, hurrying out to the hallway where more Primids swarmed the area. She stood still in fear, the pupiless red eyes immobilizing her in place. Never in her life had she seen such creatures. What exactly were they?

Zelda used Din's fire to defeat the Primids, saving Jigglypuff before she was attacked. "The Master Hand should be downstairs. He requested everyone to meet him there to assist him in the fight."

"How many of these things are there?" Peach asked, knocking a couple more aside with her frying pan. "There must be hundreds!"

"I wouldn't argue with that," Jigglypuff said, dodging another assault of punches from a group of Primids. "It's not just them but other monsters as well. Maybe the Master Hand knows what they are."

"Come to think of it, where are the villains?" Peach asked. The two went quiet for a moment.

"They must be behind this," Jigglypuff said, tone flat. "I suspected they were up to no good."

"How would you know?" Peach questioned.

Jigglypuff fidgeted nervously. "I...was spying on them at the party. They were talking about being on the Master Hand's good side. At the party they could have been planning this...I can't believe they'd sink so low."

"For Ganondorf that would be normal," Zelda said frowning. "He would stop at nothing to spread his reign of evil. However I don't think it's just Ganondorf behind this."

"Exactly!" Jigglypuff said. "There's also Bowser, Wario, Wolf, Dedede..."

"What about Meta Knight? Isn't he with the villains?" Peach asked. Jigglypuff bit her lip. Could he really be a part of the universe being at stake? It was hard to believe since when he danced with her at the party, he seemed so polite.

"I'm...not sure," Jigglypuff said.

"Didn't he dance with you?" Peach asked. "When Zelda and I tried to find you, we saw the both of you holding hands on the dance floor. What was that about?"

Jigglypuff's face flushed slightly. "Honestly, I don't know. I really don't. Whether he is a villain or not is so confusing. I wish I knew."

"We can worry about that later. Right now we need to see the Master Hand," Zelda reminded them. "He'll be worried about us."

"Sorry about that," Jigglypuff said. "Let's go."

They made it downstairs and by then, everyone was resting on the ground depleted of energy. Jigglypuff immediately spotted the Master Hand by the doors.

"What happened?" She asked, voice trembling from the sudden shock she was not dreaming.

The Master Hand clenched into a tight fist. "The villains...how could they have done that?!"

"Um...Master Hand...?" Jigglypuff said, wavering off at the end of her sentence.

"Jigglypuff...? Thank goodness you're all right. I was so worried."

"What happened here Master Hand? These strange monsters suddenly appeared when we were sleeping!" Jigglypuff's voice was almost a shout from panic.

The Master Hand lessened up slightly but it was oblivious he was highly distressed. "Our security was completely destroyed. We were vulnerable for the attack."

Jigglypuff's jaw dropped. "D-Destroyed!? But how?!"

"I don't know," he replied. "I should have kept closer watch on the villains. They were acting rather suspicious. Why did I not see that before?"

"This is happening because of the villains?" Jigglypuff asked, finding her balance hard to maintain.

"As much as I hate to admit it, yes they did. I never thought our security could be overcome but it was," the Master Hand said. "The wires are completely severed. Nothing is left to defend us from their plan."

"Nothing? We're completely defenceless?" Jigglypuff asked in horror. "We all could die?!"

"I'm afraid so. Which is why I am asking you all to be especially careful from here on out. Everyone is asked to remain here for the remainder of the night. I hope you understand. I will allow you to bring any important possessions, but only in groups."

Jigglypuff nodded. "All right. I understand." She followed Peach and Zelda upstairs to their bedroom. She didn't have much to bring with her, other than a few extra shawls she always wore around her body. She always wore them as long as she could remember for reasons she would never dare to utter aloud.

Downstairs, no one could sleep. Fear of what may come kept them from drifting back to sleep. Jigglypuff snuggled underneath her blanket, cold even with the shawl tightly cocooning her body.

She could only see Meta Knight's pupiless eyes staring into her own with such intensity she would awaken, completely shaking. He never left her mind in peace but with haunting nightmares that lingered in her mind for a few hours afterwards.

Jigglypuff gave up trying to sleep and sat by the window, gazing at the skies clouded with the ominous mists of Subspace. The peace she and the other Smashers cherished so much could be destroyed forever. She tightly closed her eyes blocking out the evil images.

"_Why must life end up like this? I have only begun to love and truly appreciate this universe...Must the villains destroy the world for their own entertainment?"_

Completely exhausted from thinking so much, she returned to the warmth of her blanket and returned to sleep, evil voices clouding her thoughts.

"_This is only the beginning Jigglypuff. Only the beginning."_

---

"How has our surprise been coming along?" Bowser asked as Meta Knight returned from the meeting room. The other villains were watching television and eating popcorn, not bothering to look away from the screen.

"Successfully so far. The Smashers are weakened from our first attack," Meta Knight replied. "Their resistance will not be enough to survive another attack. Send in more Primids as soon as possible."

Bowser shifted uncomfortably. "Right now? Can't you see we're watching a movie? It's getting to the good part!"

"Is there not a pause button?" Meta Knight asked.

"It's on television," Bowser replied.

Meta Knight facepalmed. "Do I have to do everything around here? Honestly, I would have expected better from all of you. I thought we all agreed to do our part in this plan."

"Shhhh!" Dedede said. "It's getting to the good part Meta Knight. Keep it down, would you?"

Meta Knight glared. "I can honestly say I am ashamed of you all. I will let it go one more time. Next time you will not be so lucky. Remember that."

"Yeah, yeah, just go already!" Dedede said, stuffing his face with another handful of popcorn.

"Are you sure you don't want to see this movie? It's a big hit!" Wario said, perfectly content from eating several bags of popcorn.

"I am certain Wario. I am not interested." Meta Knight left the room, even more annoyed than he was previously. Even _Ganondorf_ was enjoying himself in that ridiculous party! And he was not a party person, Meta Knight knew from experience.

If villains always spent time partying, it was no wonder they always lost to justice. Was he the only one who cared about their whole plan? Did the others simply not care anymore?

They were fools. That was the only to put it. Meta Knight stood on the deck as another army fell down from the ship and made their way to the Smash Mansion. Failure was not an option now. It no longer mattered the Smashers knew their intentions. Their demise would follow shortly before they could do anything to stop Subspace from succeeding.

"You did well Meta Knight," came a voice from behind him. He turned around to face Ganondorf.

"I thought you were at the party watching the movie," Meta Knight replied with a tinge of irritation in his voice.

"The power went out," Ganondorf replied. "The others should resolve the power outage soon. Until then, I thought I might as well see the presentation."

"You should," Meta Knight said. "You committed yourself to the plan. Remember?"

"I do not regret you as the leader. So far nothing has gone wrong. I have come to offer my appreciation."

"I never did thank you for appointing me the leader Ganondorf. I apologize. I gladly accept your appreciation. I never once regretted leading all of you. If we stay together, we should succeed without fail. As long as we are committed to our cause," Meta Knight said, turning to face the Subspace skies once again as the Subspace Army arrived for their next attack.


	56. Episode Forty Four

This week was really busy at school but I managed to get this done. Sorry for the crappy filler chapter. I didn't have much time to write this week. And I won't be writing the oneshot like I planned. The ideas will used for this Season instead. I have a longer weekend because of Thanksgiving in Canada:D I hope to update again if possible. I only have two days of school next week so maybe I'll get more done.

Disclaimer: Same as usual

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**Chapter Fifty Six**

**Episode Forty Four**

_The Subspace Army's Triumph_

_Everything was shrouded in the dark depths of the Subspace clouds contaminating the skies above. __Everything they cherished so much was falling apart before their very eyes yet they were powerless to do anything to stop what was happening. Jigglypuff was laying on the ground in an exhausted heap, too tired and unable to move. She could do nothing to save her life as the next round of Subspace monsters plagued the grounds of the Smash Mansion.__Jigglypuff refused to accept that; surely by now, something would aid them and assist them in conquering the evil._

_Had they truly lost the battle after everything they went through to protect the peace they sometimes took for granted?_

_But...what if there was no help? Absolutely none?_

_Maybe the villains did have a chance at winning over the heroes...but they were villains...and villains never win...don't they?_

_Jigglypuff closed her eyes, hands pressing on her stomach which had suffered a deep cut but not enough to start a flow of blood. One hand reached for her forehead and tried to relieve of her developing migraine. Her body was in agony and each of her limbs refused to cooperate with her demands she attempted to bestow upon it._

_"Do you fools finally surrender?" came a serious voice._

_Jigglypuff looked up to see Meta Knight. "Why...why are you doing this? Do you really want us to be dead?"_

_"Is there a problem with that?" He asked with fake surprise._

_Jigglypuff glared. "How can you be so cold about death? Are you saying you don't care about us, as long as Subspace takes over the world?"_

_"Exactly. You are more understanding than I thought you to be, my dear puff."_

_"__**Don't call me puff**__!" She spoke each word in a threatening manner. "I demand you stop mocking me!"_

"_Who said he was mocking you?" Ganondorf asked, a sinister smile on his face. It sent a chill down Jigglypuff's spine. "Did it not occur to you he was speaking the truth?"_

_Jigglypuff glared in rage. "You will not win. The villains always go down."_

"_You say that now," Ganondorf began. "But will you when you are dead?"_

_She said nothing to retaliate but continued to breathe heavily on the ground, eyes closed shut. Surely by now, the heroes would have a last minute save like usual. That's how it always happened time and time again._

_But the evil laughter of Ganondorf continuously rang out and echoed in Jigglypuff's ears. She couldn't dispel the terror that paralysed her body in place on the hard floor. Everywhere she could see the Subspace Armies were taking down everyone else. She could not bear to watch it and tensioned her grip on her stomach. Not only was it wounded but sick from the horror she had witnessed._

_Jigglypuff opened one eye slightly to see a golden sword press against her skin. Immediately her instincts tried to take over, straining her exhausted body. Jigglypuff moved sideways, preventing the cut from deepening._

_She saw her attacker, having regained the courage to open her eyes. "M-Meta Knight...why do you hate me? What have I done to you? What have any of us done?"_

"_Your very existence disturbs our ways, puff. Have you not begun to realize that? Why we have always opposed you in the past? If you are part of the heroes, you are my enemy. By nature, we have to kill you."_

_Jigglypuff shut her eyes tight. "We could all get along Meta Knight. The hatred between us living beings, it's horrible. Why would you be a villain? It doesn't make sense. Should we stop fighting, we all could live peacefully."_

"_I could say the same about you," Meta Knight replied. "Why you heroes repel us so, I will never understand." His sword inched closer to Jigglypuff's body. She eyed the blade in fear._

"_Y-You wouldn't...!" She gasped, trying to step back from the blade. Her body protested, having forced it beyond her strength a few minutes ago. Was her life worth living anymore? Was her body telling her it was her time to die? _

"_I would not hesitate, puff and you know it. It is astounding how you heroes maintain such futile hope, or as I should say, foolishness." Galaxia punctured through her stomach. Jigglypuff bit her lip, abstaining from screaming. _

"_Do you surrender now, puff?"_

_Jigglypuff's breath became staggered as the blade barely grazed her heart. "Fine...kill me. I'd rather die as a hero than live as a villain."_

"_If that is what you want," Meta Knight replied, his sword pushing further into her body. The last thing she could hear was screaming which she realized was her own._

_--_

"Jigglypuff, wake up!"

Jigglypuff opened her eyes, completely drenched in a cold sweat. With wide eyes, she gazed in fear at the Smashers who all surrounded her. She bit her lip, embarrassed at being the centre of attention. She stood up, tossing the blankets off of her body and make her way out of the main room. Everyone exchanged worried looks.

"Is she going to be okay?" Peach asked Zelda. She looked down, unsure of how to respond.

"I hope she is," Link said. "She must have had a nightmare. If she was screaming, it had to be bad."

"You can't blame her," Ike said. "With this 'Subspace Army' suddenly showing up, that's enough for anyone to be scared." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Jigglypuff snuck a glance in the main room and had heard what everyone said. She was _screaming_ in her sleep? Jigglypuff could not recall a time when she woke up so frightened...vulnerable. Her face was slightly flushed, everyone having known she had a bad dream. It was fortunate she did not talk in her sleep. Most of the time when she suffered from a dreadful nightmare, she would talk. She found it an embarrassing habit and for that reason alone, she often slept all alone without anyone else around.

That was not the case when the peace they took for granted was crumbling into pieces, one shard at a time.

She wondered down the hallway which was still in a mess from the attack earlier. Jigglypuff shivered, wrapping her shawl tight around herself. Another habit of hers, she called it but refused to explain to anyone. As far as she knew, it was none of everyone's business.

Subspace still engulfed the skies in their dark fog. She could barely see the Halberd hovering in the clouds. The sight revolted her stomach. Jigglypuff had hoped this all would be a dream, not reality.

Her cheek pressed against the glass window. Would she survive through this, what the villains were planning? Was Meta Knight really part of their alliance? Why did things have to happen this way? He was so chivalrous at the party, during their dance. Was that all an act just to satisfy the villains?

Jigglypuff's jaw tightened. It had to be. He didn't ask her by his own will. The realization crashed upon her. She had been used during that party. No wonder felt so confused afterwards. Had the dance been genuine, she would have felt happy. She sank down to the ground, lying limp in the corner. Jigglypuff knew she was nothing important amongst the Smashers. Why would _Meta Knight_ of every living being in the world ask her out to dance anyway?

He was out of his mind.

And he wanted to tear her heart apart in every brutal way possible. So much for being _polite_. That was just an attempt to crush her heart and he knew it all along.

That's what he was; a heartless villain.

"Jigglypuff, are you all right?" came Zelda's voice. Jigglypuff sat up, forcing back any emotion she had left in her. There was no time to think about _that puffball._ The others were worried about her.

"Ah yes, sorry to worry you," she said, forcing a calm tone. Zelda did not look convinced.

"You suddenly left the room Jigglypuff. I am certain you are not all right. What happened?"

"Oh nothing really, just my dream. It's been getting me down I guess." She kept is simple. It wasn't as though this would concern the others. It was her personal business. Jigglypuff sighed and stared out the window.

"Zelda is right Jigglypuff," Marth said, entering the room. "You were bothered by something to suddenly leave without an explanation."

"It was just my dream," Jigglypuff replied. "I'll be fine in a few minutes. Thank you for your concern though. Even through this, you still care about me. I'm surprised."

"Of course we care. We look out for each other," Zelda said, equally surprised. "Why would you think otherwise?"

Jigglypuff shrugged. She would not admit to everyone how she really felt about herself being in the tournaments. As she turned to leave, the wall crumbled into pieces, nearly crushing her. Jigglypuff suppressed a scream as shards of glass barely grazed the sides of her face. She stared in horror at the sight before her.

"Th-they're back!" She stuttered. "And they have some sort of bomb! What do we do?"


	57. Episode Forty Five

I'm so sorry for not updating! I've been really busy and could not find the time or motivation to write. However this chapter is longer than the last one so I hope you all like it. I may have to update once a week though. Keep up the awesome reviews! I appreciate the feedback:D

Disclaimer: Same as usual

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**Chapter Fifty Seven**

**Episode Forty Five**

_Mistrustful_

"I don't know Jigglypuff," Zelda replied, equally as afraid. "We should find the others. Maybe they will know what to do."

Though uncertain, Jigglypuff nodded and followed Zelda away from the hole in the wall and to the main room. Her body still felt exhausted, sleep deprivation dwindling her strength. She had to force her body to comply. She glanced one more time at the bomb being activated by two robots, resembling ROB.

Jigglypuff immediately could see a timer on the bomb in the distance. Three minutes slowly began counting down much to her panic. She had to warn everyone. Jigglypuff ran as fast as her feet could carry her to the main room past the destroyed hallways. As she was running, she could still hear _his_ voice in her mind as if _he_ was talking to her face to face.

"_You fools have no other choice but to surrender. In due time, your residence will belong to Subspace, but can you manage to escape before then?" _Laughter followed his words; the cruel and tormenting kind. _"You heroes sometimes amuse us with your pitiful ways..."_

Jigglypuff shut her eyes tightly for a moment, trying to block out the vile words. _"Leave me alone. I have done nothing to deserve this."_ The laughter continued but she could no longer focus on that when she finally made it to the main room.

The Smash Mansion as she knew and cherished was nearly unrecognizable in its damaged state. Many Smashers were worn out from the recent battle. Jigglypuff could not believe what she was seeing but there was not time to dwell on that.

"Everyone!" She called out. "We need to leave now! This place is going to be destroyed in three minutes!"

Gasps filled the room. The Smashers got to their feet quickly, grabbing their possessions and hurrying to the garage. Jigglypuff followed behind, body aching in protest.

"Where are we going?" She asked in between gasps of breath.

"We are escaping using the Arwing!" Zelda replied. "Fox and Falco made a new one recently. It will be able to carry all of us thankfully. I hope it works though. It is our only chance!"

Jigglypuff nodded, hurrying inside with the other Smashers. The engines started up, the new vehicle successfully taking flight in the sky. Jigglypuff stared out the window as the timer reached zero and began to swallow up the remaining parts of the Smash Mansion and the rest of the property in a dark abyss. Other shared the same shocked reaction as the Arwing sped up faster, narrowly escaping the gravitational pull of the growing Subspace abyss.

"The villains must have been planning this for a long time," Jigglypuff whispered. "What will we do now? Have they truly won?" She felt slightly light-headed. The very same Smash Mansion she resided in for all three tournaments swallowed up by the same evil that would forever take away their peace and happiness.

"As long as we don't give up, then no," Link said. "They have not defeated us; therefore we still have a chance at winning. They can be stopped if we all work together."

Zelda nodded in agreement. "We cannot give up. As Smashers we must stay together and help one another out when need be. Should we fight against the villains, we must be ready. At the moment, we must find a place to call our own. It would be very unsafe to sleep out in the open."

"We should create our own resistance base," Ike suggested. "Somewhere the villains can't find us."

"That sounds reasonable," Zelda said.

Jigglypuff leaned into a corner, deciding to sleep there for the rest of the night. With the skies clouded with Subspace, she could barely tell what time it was anymore. Wrapping herself tightly with the blankets they managed to take with them, she drifted to sleep, too tired for that voice to keep her awake.

Until her sleep turned into a horrid nightmare, but without the haunting images she expected.

"_Do you surrender now, puff?"_

_Jigglypuff's breath became staggered as the blade barely grazed her heart. "Fine...kill me. I'd rather die as a hero than live as a villain."_

"_If that is what you want," Meta Knight replied, his sword pushing further into her body. The last thing she could hear was screaming which she realized was her own._

_There were no words to describe her growing pain. As the blade fully pierced her body, it didn't hurt anymore...the wound dulled down to a numbing sensation. Why didn't it hurt? She expected the pain to endure even longer._

"_Where am I?" she thought to herself. Jigglypuff was floating in silvery yet shiny waters but when she lifted her hand, it remained dry with no water dripping off from her skin. The sky was no longer darkened with such monstrosity but with fluffy white clouds. Her hand reached for the clouds, but only then did she realize her hand was glowing. What happened to her?_

_A figure joined her by her side. She did not look up to see who it was but she didn't care at the moment. Jigglypuff wasn't alone and the realization filled her being with relief. "Are you all right?"_

"_Uh...I guess so," Jigglypuff said, turning away to hide the sudden flush in her cheeks. _

"_Are you absolutely sure?" the voice asked again, eyes meeting hers. Her face felt completely on fire._

"_Y-Yes, I-I'm fine," she managed._

"_If you say so," the figure replied, before lying down next to her. "I do admit, it is nice to have company. It does get rather lonesome here with no one else around."_

"_Where exactly are we?" I asked. He smiled._

"_I, myself do not know. Should it matter though if I am with you? Forever by your side?" _

_Jigglypuff blushed. "I suppose you are right." Casting aside her awkwardness, she attempted to clear her mind. Who exactly was she speaking to? She turned to face him when she felt a stabbing pain where her heart would have been, except it was replaced with emptiness as if part of her was either missing or dead._

_She tried to speak but only to see her body fading away into nothingness. Was she dying...? Or was she already dead but merely fading away from existing entirely?_

_Jigglypuff wanted to cry out. At least she'd be able to tell she was a living being. If she was even living anymore._

_She couldn't even cry...she really was dying..._

_Laughter was all she could hear as her eyes closed for the last time._

Jigglypuff blinked a few times, before realizing that she was dreaming. She stared up at the ceiling of the darkened Arwing, confused more than frightened. Most of the others were sleeping, the only ones being awake were Fox and Falco who took turns being the pilot. She shivered under the blankets, somewhat lonely.

She wouldn't describe her dream as a nightmare but perhaps it was something much worse than the most horrible images one could see. Was the same figure in her dreams the same voice that spoke to her through her mind? It couldn't be possible, but they shared one thing in common.

They haunted her day and night.

She thought long and hard. Jigglypuff had an idea of who it was but couldn't quite remember with the stress she endured from both being asleep and awake. The voice and the figure could not be one the same. The voice purposely chose to haunt her, awake or not. The figure in the dream was nice to her, opposed to feeling left out amongst the other Smashers.

Though Jigglypuff knew they cared, she felt unworthy of their respect. She turned over to fall asleep again when she felt the whole vehicle jerk suddenly with an unexpected twist that unsettled her empty stomach. Most of the Smashers awakened from their sleep to see the vehicle become swallowed in a large shadow. The Arwing spun out of control, shifting slightly off course.

They were being under attack, Jigglypuff realized with a jolt of fear as if struck by a blade to the heart.

"What's going on out there?" Snake asked with irritation, codec in hand. When he lifted up his cardboard box, the Arwing tilted enough to distort everyone's balance.

"We need to hurry!" Zelda called out to Fox and Falco. "They are catching up with us fast."

"Who is?" Jigglypuff asked.

Zelda sighed. "The villains."

Jigglypuff's jaw dropped. "They're _after us?_"

"I'm afraid so," Zelda replied as the speed of the Arwing increased considerably, causing Jigglypuff's stomach to flip again from discomfort. "I doubt the Arwing would stand a chance against the Halberd. Though Fox and Falco claim this new Arwing has been finished, I disagree."

"So...we not make it out of this alive?" Jigglypuff asked, pupils shrinking drastically from their original size. The Arwing spun in circles as another laser grazed its side. She gasped, clutching onto the nearest object she could find as not to collide against the wall with immense force.

"We will survive," Zelda said. "We can't give up hope."

Jigglypuff glanced through the back window, able to see some of the villains in the piloting room. She felt extreme anger travel through every limb of her body. Because of them, everyone else was suffering. As she was about to turn away, two pupiless eyes found their way to hers. Jigglypuff swallowed nervously.

_Meta Knight..._

Was it possible that he was the one on her mind? It could not be true, yet it made sense. Jigglypuff had come to the conclusion that his intention was to completely crush her heart. Why she, of all the other Smashers, strike out so much to him? She tightened the grasp on her shawl, unable to answer her own question.

His gaze was nearly impossible to break. The way his eyes captivated her, Jigglypuff found it hard to resist. He knew it, he just _had_ to. Meta Knight refused to look away, which Jigglypuff believed was on purpose.

"Jigglypuff," she could hear faintly in the background. Jigglypuff was too transfixed on Meta Knight's eyes to comprehend someone was talking to her.

Why couldn't she look away? It was like she was cast under a spell, as if hypnotized. She shut her eyes tightly, forcing them to remain closed no matter how much she desired to gaze at him.

"Jigglypuff!"

Gasping, she turned around from the window, trembling. Marth and Link exchanged worried looks.

"Are you all right Jigglypuff?" Peach asked. She nodded.

"Y-Yeah, I guess I was daydreaming. Sorry if I worried everyone." As if to contradict her very words, she collapsed to the ground, breaking out in a cold sweat. She could not lift herself off the ground.

Zelda rushed to her side. "Jigglypuff, what happened?"

"N-Nothing..." she fibbed. "I...wasn't paying attention..." She forced herself to stand, the result, her whole body trembling. She didn't care if everyone saw as she found her way to a corner where she could hide and isolate herself.

"What could have happened to frighten her like that?" Ike asked. Link shrugged.

"I do not know," he replied. "I don't."

She knew it. All that time, it had been Meta Knight who was disturbing her thoughts and dreams. He was planning on destroying her like in her nightmare. Why did he hate her so much? What had she done to deserve such a dislike from him? She agreed to dance with him at the party which she realized was a part of his plan to destroy her one part at a time.

It couldn't have been him in the last dream? If he hated her so much, why was he so polite and caring? Did he really care about her or was he luring her into a trap? Whether that was the case or not, Jigglypuff finally realized his true motive with horror.

Meta Knight wanted to kill her with his own hands.


	58. Episode Forty Six, Part 1

Keep up the awesome feedback! The next chapter will be up this weekend. I think you'll like this one; I added a twist in it:D

Disclaimer: Same as usual

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**Chapter Fifty Eight**

**Episode Forty Six, Part 1**

_Striking Back_

_"Jigglypuff! Can you hear me?"_

_All she was aware of was the constant shaking of the Arwing as the Halberd once again closed in on the heroes to attack. Her heart pounded heavily as the shaking intensified and her balance was lost. Her body slammed against the side, pain spreading throughout her body._

_She couldn't respond. Fear restricted her vocals too much for her to voice aloud an understandable response. Were they going to be defeated by their enemies? The Smashers were not ready for another battle so soon. Jigglypuff suspected if they were to escape the destruction of the Smash Mansion and its surrounding lands, the villains would pursue them to the very end._

_The whole Arwing drifted downwards, losing altitude as another laser severed one of the wings. Fox swore under his breath._

_Jigglypuff pressed herself tightly against the wall, hoping it would end soon and for the experience to be but a memory. She found herself watching intently out the window at the villains who seemed to enjoy themselves. However, she couldn't tell whether Meta Knight was feeling the same way or not. She looked away before his eyes would have the chance to hypnotize her again._

_"The end will be soon," came the voice in her mind. "Your suffering shouldn't last for much longer." Jigglypuff shut her eyes tight to block out the voice. The realization hit her hard; so hard, she forgot to breathe for a moment. The voice sounded nothing like Meta Knight...meaning someone else was tormenting her. Jigglypuff had no idea who it could be but she knew whoever it was had to be worse. She opened her eyes only to see one last blinding flash._

_Then she saw nothing more._

Jigglypuff groaned, trying to sit up. She rubbed her eyes wearily, completely confused. Where was she?

After forcing herself to sit up, Jigglypuff saw that she was lying on a bed in a dim room, only lit by a dying candle. She clutched the blanket, afraid even though the other Smashers were in the very same room. A few moments after sitting up, she felt a throbbing pain in her forehead; a migraine. Groaning, she lay down again, massaging her forehead gently.

"Jigglypuff, are you all right?" she heard Zelda ask her in concern.

She groaned again. "Not really. How long have I been asleep?"

Zelda and a few other Smashers exchanged worried looks. Jigglypuff fidgeted nervously at the sudden tension among the group. "Is...is it bad?"

"Should we tell her?" whispered Link, barely audibly to Zelda. She nodded, though unsure of herself.

"Um...Jigglypuff, are you sure you want to know?"

Why were they hesitating? Something really bad must have happened. Jigglypuff's hands trembled under the blanket. "Yes, tell me what happened. How long was I sleeping? Is...the Halberd still attacking us?"

"No, it has been gone for quite a while," Marth replied, answering for Link.

"'Quite a while' has in, how long?" Jigglypuff asked further.

"Six weeks."

Jigglypuff's eyes widened. "Wha-What?! Six weeks? Are...are you serious? Have...have I...?!"

"We don't quite know what happened. When we were under attack, your behaviour suddenly changed," Ike began.

"I...changed? How?"

"Your eyes were red and before we knew it, you had begun to attack us for no reason. None of us still are unsure of what happened. I talked to Snake about it and he suspected you were possessed."

"P-P-Possessed!?" Her voice was a shriek.

Zelda nodded. "That was the only possibility we could figure out. You spoke too."

"I...uh...what did I say?"

"'The end will be soon. Your suffering shouldn't last for much longer.'"

"You HAVE to be kidding me!" Jigglypuff shouted. The strange voice she could have sworn was haunting her mind was _her own voice_? "That...can't be possible..."

"We had no idea what to do. Fox was able to tranquilize you and you've been asleep ever since. We were so worried you would not wake up," Zelda finished.

Jigglypuff was shaking violently. "I-I do not understand...I just can't believe it." She rubbed her forehead again gingerly. Jigglypuff could not quite remember the attack but only recalled it as though half awake, body aching from her loss of balance. Jigglypuff lay down again, finding no words to describe her shock. Her migraine became worse as the minutes passed by but pretended to sleep so no one else would worry about her.

Night passed slowly for Jigglypuff, not being able to fall asleep. Her restless state affecting her mind. The same voices echoed in her thoughts, a few escaping past her lips.

Jigglypuff looked up at the starry sky, startled when she briefly saw her eyes red in her reflection in the water. Where was she? She last remembered resting under the blanket with the Smashers at her side. They were nowhere in sight. Her heart almost flipped at the realization.

She could faintly hear footsteps walk past her briefly and when she whirled around to see who it was, she saw a sword lay next to her side.

--

"I'm getting rather impatient," Wolf complained as Meta Knight continued to read a book. "I thought you agreed you'd take out that annoying pink puff."

Annoyed, Meta Knight sighed. "Not at the moment. It is not time."

"Ganondorf will be very displeased," Wolf continued. "And may I mention how irritated _he_ might be if he knew of you going back on your word."

"I am not Wolf," Meta Knight replied, calmly. "Very soon, I will dispose of her. Not now."

"You are supposed to do your job as the leader. We have been doing all the work and during that time, all you do is read."

"_Excuse me?_ Who was doing all the work during our first attack on the Smashers? I recall that was me, seeing as you all were too busy watching a movie. And you tell me I do not do my part. If I recall correctly, you are supposed to in charge of piloting the Halberd tonight. Why are you not doing your job?"

Wolf growled, however, Meta Knight was still unfazed. "Or would you like me to hit you with Galaxia on the head then?"

"No....Sir," he replied.

"Then shut up and get back to work. In the meantime, I might as well dispose of the puff," Meta Knight replied, leaving the meeting room, Galaxia in hand.

--

_"How did this sword get in my possession?"_

Jigglypuff thought to herself, carefully grasping the blade. She practice attacks to pass the time and out of anxiety. Jigglypuff could help but feel she was in danger and tried to ready herself as much as she could until then. Jigglypuff accepted the fact that she was being possessed, able to recall repeating the very same words she hated hearing so much.

"It is almost time," the menacing voice repeated again. "Your demise is coming closer...Have you no regrets?"

Jigglypuff glared. "Why should I have any? Everything I cared about is being destroyed before my very eyes. Should you villains be the ones who should have regret?"

"A villain in regret...how amusing."

The voices were no longer in her mind but as if the very same figure was talking to her in person.

"It depends," Jigglypuff said, frowning. "I don't even know who you are."

"Are you sure about that? I am certain we encountered before..." Jigglypuff shut her eyes, trying to remember. The voice sounded so familiar...

Jigglypuff glared towards the shadows. "Did we? Like I said, I don't know you. Who are you?"

"Curious, are we? I should have expected that reaction," replied the figure, who stepped out of the shadows. Jigglypuff held her sword tight in her hands, chills spreading throughout her body. Her jaw dropped when she recognized who it was.

"Y-Your...Meta Knight...!" Jigglypuff gasped.

"No...not quite."

"What do you mean by that?" Jigglypuff pressed further. "I demand an explanation! Who exactly _are_ you?"

"Does that matter? I believe I am not here to waste my time talking to you, but to fight," Meta Knight replied. He pointed his sword in Jigglypuff's direction. "You should have expected my arrival. For you to be so clueless is appalling. Why else do you think you have been experiencing nightmares?"

"You...it was your fault...! How could you?" Jigglypuff hadn't felt this much anger in a long time. She felt somewhat hurt that he would do something so horrible to her. All this time, her suspicions were confirmed. "How could you villains be so horrible? Why must you take away everything we cared for? Do you even feel a slight bit of remorse for your actions?"

"No, why would I?" He chuckled slightly. "If I even felt such an emotion, would I really be the villain's leader? Think about it. I admit, you heroes and your ways do surprise us from time to time. For you to be so persistent, we do not understand. Why must you fight against us? Does it not cross your mind, you heroes take away what we villains consider important to us?"

"It's...it's not the same!"

"Enough of this," Meta Knight said, tightening the grip on his sword, getting into a fighting stance. "I came here to destroy you and by my own hands. Surely by now, you realized that."

"I didn't want to believe it," Jigglypuff said softly. "I thought you had _a heart_."

Meta Knight smiled behind the mask. "You thought wrong."


	59. Episode Forty Six, Part 2

**Chapter Fifty Nine**

**Episode Forty Six, Part 2**

_Purity VS Demon_

"Why must you do this?" Jigglypuff said in a shaken voice, the hand holding her sword trembling. She refused to be hypnotized by his loathing scarlet eyes. "What do you hope to accomplish by working with Tabuu?"

Meta Knight briefly turned away, glancing at the dark Subspace skies. "Does that really concern you? It is only a matter of time before every one of you perishes under our new reign."

Jigglypuff glared. "We don't go down without a fight. If you want us to be dead, why don't you even try?"

"We do not wish to kill you yet. My leader has not given me any orders for your demise. However, the rules can be changed for special occasions," Meta Knight replied, a half smile of triumph on his face.

"You _will_ kill us, won't you?" Jigglypuff asked, resentfully. "We outnumber you, remember that."

His lips curved downwards into a frown. "Easily I could overpower all of you. Altogether, your strength is not a fraction of what I possess. My leader appreciates my loyalty very much so. He'd trust me with the task."

"Why would you trust someone so...cruel?!" Jigglypuff shouted. "He doesn't care about you. Once he's taken over the whole world, he'll cast you aside."

"My Master knows what is best, Puff," Meta Knight said, not at all fazed. "He would never betray those loyal to him."

She glowered, hating being called "Puff" more than anything. "What did you just call me?"

"Oh, does that offend you?" Meta Knight replied in a taunting manner. "Shame, I thought the name suit you perfectly."

"You call me that again and I'll...!"

"Or you'll _what_?" He retaliated. "You are no match for me."

"Come again, shorty?" Jigglypuff snapped.

Meta Knight glared behind the mask. "Would you care to say that again?"

"Oh, does that offend you?" She said, smirking.

He pointed his sword at her face. "If you wish to live, you will hold your tongue. You have spoken out of line enough times for me to have a reason killing you on the spot."

Jigglypuff glared. "If I'm the one you want to kill, leave the others out of this."

Meta Knight nodded. "Very much so I wish you to be dead, Puff. You irritate me." His cape transformed into wings. "If you hope to survive, you will fight. Otherwise my sword will defeat you."

Jigglypuff tightened the grip on her sword. "...Very well." Their swords clashed together, exchanging violent swings.

A strong blow struck against Jigglypuff's blade. She tried desperately to push Galaxia aside but to no avail. Their swords locked together for a full minute before Meta Knight broke the connection.

"You are stronger than I thought."

Jigglypuff's concentration became nonexistent, trying to comprehend Meta Knight's statement. A sharp upward strike clashed against Jigglypuff's sword, causing her to stumble backwards from recoil. She gasped for breath as her body hit the ground. Meta Knight pressed Galaxia to her cheek. "Do you really pose a threat to me? I think not."

Jigglypuff grabbed her sword and stuck against Galaxia. As Meta Knight staggered from the blow, Jigglypuff managed to get up on her feet again. After recovering, he assumed his battle position.

"I will not go easy on you anymore Puff. That was merely a warm up."

Jigglypuff gulped. "W-What? You weren't even trying?"

"If I was, I'd be weak like you. You would not last one minute against my Master." Meta Knight lunged forward, swinging his sword so fast, she could barely see the blade. Confused, his next blow took Jigglypuff by surprise.

Her sword slipped from her hand onto the rough stone ground. He stopped attacking, twisting his sword into circulating movements, body spinning. The tornado hit Jigglypuff spot on, sending her flying against one of the surrounding boulders.

She gasped for breath, panting heavily from exhaustion. Her hand swept off any dirt from her side only to be covered in blood. Jigglypuff stared at the dripping red liquid in astonishment. Her own blood...She realized with horror this was a life or death battle. She could truly be hurt.

Meta Knight inhaled slowly, the scent of Jigglypuff's blood highly desirable, deductible and mouth watering. Jigglypuff stood up, trembling. She took hold of her sword, bracing herself to be attacked as Meta Knight approached. Her free hand pressed against her wound, trying to stop the flow of blood. Meta Knight wiped the blood from his sword onto his stained gloves to his mouth under the mask and drank the traces of remaining red liquid. Jigglypuff watched in terror as Meta Knight continued to drink the blood.

As if acting on instinct, Jigglypuff used the opportunity to slash Meta Knight from behind. He quickly dodged, only receiving a small cut on his back but not deep enough to bleed. His pure red eyes glared menacingly.

"You do not know how much I want to kill you, Puff," he said quietly, yet threateningly. His sword barely grazed her uninjured side but proceeded to slice a deep cut on her left cheek.

Jigglypuff nearly screamed from the pain, but managed not to make a sound. She seethed with anger, desiring revenge. Ignoring the agonizing pain, she stood up and swung her sword at Meta Knight, deflecting his attack. Jigglypuff braced herself for his next strike and successfully pulled off a counter attack.

He almost lost his balance from the impact but recovered in time to dodge her next assault. "You've much yet to learn," he spoke.

"So do you," she replied nonchalantly.

His sword pointed straight for her heart. Jigglypuff froze in place from fear. _"Am I really going to die?"_

She could hear him breathe in deeply. "I never wanted your blood so badly before," he said, voice clouded with desire. "That certain taste..." His hand touched her side, wiping away the blood. Jigglypuff felt the urge to attack, her sword cutting into his side, drawing blood. To her shock, some of the liquid was a pure red.

"Meta Knight," she whispered. "Have you always been on the dark side?"

"Not always," he replied. "I was once a fool like you. I learned from joining my Master being "good" will eventually destroy you. Subspace is my destiny and very soon it will be yours."

"Don't you understand? Your leader is lying to you. He is only using you to do his bidding. He wouldn't care if you died."

Galaxia sliced across her back followed up by another tornado. Jigglypuff, unable to defend against the attack, slammed into the same boulder full force.

Her vision spun when she tried to open her eyes. She distinctly could hear Meta Knight approach slowly towards her. Knowing he would attempt to kill her, Jigglypuff rose from the ground. She found her sword lying on the ground, quickly retrieving it.

From the corner of her eye, she saw that Meta Knight was about to strike. Foreseeing the attack, Jigglypuff used the last of her strength to retaliate, the blow hitting directly on the mask. Before she could move from her position, she realized that Meta Knight's mask fell from his face. As terrified as she was, Jigglypuff felt compelled to look at the face of her opponent.

To her surprise, he had the most adorable face she'd ever seen. His rosy cheeks appeared to be constantly blushing, his oval eyes shining with small stars. Jigglypuff felt her face become warmer as she continued to gaze at him. Why did her enemy have to be so...cute?

Meta Knight blinked for a moment, still in shock. His eyes were no longer red, but now a white colour. He remained silent, not speaking for the longest moment.

Jigglypuff felt unnerved by his change of behaviour. Why wasn't he attacking her anymore? She walked slowly, each step taken with caution. She didn't fully trust him yet.

Meta Knight eyed her with confusion. "A-Are you Jigglypuff?"

She nodded, eyes widened with shock. His voice sounded nothing like it did before...evil and menacing. Instead, it sounded gentle with a slight Spanish accent. "Yes...I am Jigglypuff."

He stared at her without blinking as if trying to comprehend what was going on around him. His hand trembled, body collapsing on the ground. Jigglypuff could hear the heaviness of his breathing, recognizing it as fright. Her hand rested on his shoulder. "Are you all right?"

His eyes met her gaze. "What...happened?"

Jigglypuff almost tightened her grip on his shoulder. "You...were attacking me. We were fighting. Don't you remember?"

"I do not understand...I have no intentions of hurting you."

Jigglypuff bit her lip. "What do you mean? Were you, by any chance...possessed?"

"I would not doubt it," he whispered, reaching for his sword and sheathing it. His eyes were full of confusion as he gazed at her. "You're bleeding. What happened to you?"

Jigglypuff looked down, realizing the small pool of blood that dripped from her wounds. "When we were fighting..."

Meta Knight bit his lip to restrain his anger. "Whoever possessed me caused me to hurt you. I cannot express how sorry I am."

She was taken aback by his kindness. "Don't worry about it. It'll heal, it's nothing serious." Jigglypuff nearly gasped as his hands pressed over her wound to stop the flow of blood.

"It's all right...I promise I will not hurt you." Jigglypuff felt her face warm as the touch suddenly sent flutters in her stomach. Was this who Meta Knight was all along?

Once the bleeding stopped, Jigglypuff laid beside Meta Knight under the nearest tree. He realized his mask was off with dismay as the breeze swept across his face. He reached for his mask almost in a panic.

Jigglypuff held the object in her hands. "I found your mask." She sat down beside him, hoping her face wasn't red. "You don't have to wear it all the time though. There's nothing wrong with your face. If we are ever alone, then maybe..."

Meta Knight hid his face in the folds of his cape, fearing he would blush if Jigglypuff continued to gaze his cute features. "Maybe sometime...Jigglypuff, my mask...?"

She handed it to him and he quickly attached it back to his face. Jigglypuff expected to see his eyes revert to red but instead, they were more of a gold colour. There were no words to describe how she felt. For a moment, she truly believed Meta Knight's desire was to kill her but she realized that intention belonged to another; someone else who possessed Meta Knight to do the deed. Could the true enemy be unwilling to show himself? Jigglypuff recalled being possessed from experience, suspecting the very same enemy attempted to go after her as well.

Who could it be? Who would try so hard to rid of her before the other Smashers? They were more of a threat than she ever was.

Jigglypuff was too much in shock to feel her pain anymore. She felt Meta Knight rest against her shoulder. She realized he had fallen asleep and unknowingly held him close.

_That_ was _Meta Knight_, not the demon that hurt her. The demon was the true enemy.

How would she explain this to the others? They would expect Meta Knight to attack, convinced he was the enemy. Jigglypuff sighed, careful to keep quiet as not to awaken Meta Knight. She noticed his side was bleeding so she pressed her shawl against it, hoping to stop the flow of blood. Jigglypuff felt horrible about hurting him, at the time, not aware he was possessed.

She tried lifting him when he was in her arms and to her surprise, he was very light. He remained asleep, undisturbed as she brought him back to the resistance base. Her hand rested on the doorknob but she couldn't bring herself to face the others.

Meta Knight shifted slightly in his position. Jigglypuff knew both of them needed medical attention and for Meta Knight's sake, she ignored her fears and opened the door.


	60. Episode Forty Seven

Disclaimer: I do not own Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.

**Sept. 20 2012 - I'm so happy to keep hearing from you "amy!" (Guest) This season is a bit of a serious one compared to the first three. I wanted to try different genres with these seasons. :) I'm glad you like these.**

* * *

**Chapter Sixty**

**Episode Forty Seven**

_Empathetic_

_Do it for Meta Knight. He's injured._

Jigglypuff squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to think about that. The wound in his back was deeper than she thought. She never expected it to bleed so much. The door creaked open, partly because of hesitance on her part. Many pairs of eyes widened at the sight of Meta Knight, but Jigglypuff tried to ignore that. Gasps followed once they caught glimpse of his wound.

"Shhh!" Jigglypuff hissed. "You'll wake him up."

However, the commotion disturbed Meta Knight's sleep and his eyes gradually opened. He was in a daze, trying to figure out where he was. Once his vision became clear, he realized the Smashers were surrounding him and took a step backwards after forcing himself to stand. He eyed them with uncertainty, expecting them to attack him.

"Why did you bring him here?" he could hear distinctly from the crowd. "He's our enemy." Meta Knight shuddered at the unwelcome tone of their voices. Jigglypuff glared at them, hushing their whispers.

"He is not the enemy," Jigglypuff said firmly once everyone settled down. "He was possessed the entire time and none of us knew of it. I understand the feeling, being possessed myself briefly before. He is telling the truth." Another outburst of protests rang out. Jigglypuff sighed from exasperation.

"We understand your concerns but we cannot quite believe you," Zelda said. "At this point, anyone could be our enemy and we cannot rely on them entirely, especially since he has been with the villains."

Meta Knight turned to face the wall, clearly hearing her words. Jigglypuff glared at Zelda. "It doesn't matter who he was with. Either way, he was still possessed! In truth, maybe the villains wanted to make sure there was no chance of reverting back to good. I have a feeling they are planning something and were using him to carry it out. It is a possibility."

Zelda opened her mouth to speak but decided against it. Meta Knight stood by Jigglypuff's side, nodding.

"I do not expect you to trust me and I understand how you all must feel about the situation. I expect whoever possessed is the identity of the true enemy. I was never a part of the villains even if my own body acted against my will. Inside it was tormenting to see what was going on through my own eyes not being able to fight back," Meta Knight said, sighing. "I never intended for any of this to happen. The villains need to be stopped, no matter the cost."

The Smashers then noticed how different he was than the possessed demon he once was when they first met. His voice, his behaviour and even the colour of eyes proved Jigglypuff had been correct.

"I'm sorry for doubting you," Zelda said to Jigglypuff. "You were right. Meta Knight was possessed. Whoever did that though, must not want his identity to be found out."

"The mastermind must have believed possessing one of us would have made their motive easier to succeed," Snake said. "Our opponent is not to be underestimated. Any one of us could be next."

Jigglypuff shifted slightly in her position from discomfort. She had been possessed before; she was more at risk than everyone else. Jigglypuff stayed close to Meta Knight's side, surprisingly feeling protective of him. He didn't object to the closeness but instead, never moved from his position. She could feel the tension radiating from his body; a clear sign he was awkward to be around everyone else.

"It's all right. No one's going to hurt you," Jigglypuff whispered to Meta Knight. He looked up, eying her cautiously.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, barely in an audible whisper.

"She's right," Ike spoke up. "We understand your situation. We're not going to hurt you."

Meta Knight's shoulders slightly lessened up, though his overall posture was still uptight. "Thank you," he said.

Then he spoke no more as he lay down, sound asleep.

_-(Two Weeks Later)-_

Jigglypuff wrapped her shawl tightly around herself to protect her body from the cold Autumn air as she stepped outside, needing some time away from the resistance base. Even with the shawl, her body still shivered from the cold. She tried her best to block out her discomfort as she gazed up at the stars. Jigglypuff sometimes wished she could fly amongst the cluster of stars, formed together in a constellation.

When was the last time she allowed herself to relax and let the stars clear her mind of her worries?

_"When I was cared about by my trainer,"_

she realized suddenly. _"Before he...passed away, I guess. Maybe he is up there right now, gazing down upon me."_

Why did that thought bring on a wave of sorrow? Jigglypuff never thought about the death of her trainer since she became a Smasher. Partly because she didn't _want_ to think about it. The experience pained her so much, like a stab to the heart.

"Jigglypuff...?" She turned around to see Meta Knight approach her hesitantly. "Are you all right?"

"I-I suppose," she whispered. She never expected that he'd ever speak to her, let alone show that he was worried.

"You seemed upset when you woke up..." he began, trailing off at the end of his sentence. "I...was worried..."

"Worried? Why?" Jigglypuff asked, confused.

Meta Knight looked away, as though ashamed he was intruding upon her privacy. "I heard you crying in your sleep."

Her face flushed from embarrassment, remembering she had slept next to him. He would have known. Jigglypuff knew she had a tendency to get emotional when she was upset deep down but for Meta Knight to find out made it even more awkward. "Oh...I-I'm sorry if that upset you. I...um, you see..." What had come over her? Jigglypuff couldn't form her sentences properly stuttering over every word.

_"Should I tell him? Would it be the right thing to do? I am not yet ready...I can't say what happened to both me and my trainer. It is not for him to worry about. What do I do?"_

"Jigglypuff, are you sure you are all right?" Meta Knight asked, genuine concern in his voice.

"Uh...yes! I was only having a bad dream. I am so worried about will become of the world with the villains still out there," Jigglypuff quickly said as a cover up. She nearly sighed with relief when Meta Knight fell for it.

"That is understandable. Do not worry. It will be all right." She gazed at him, no longer afraid of looking into his eyes. She wished she could see how he really felt. Though she did briefly see his face before, she knew he would not want to experience that again.

She briefly felt a gloved hand stroke against her cheek. Jigglypuff looked up, brought back from her reverie to reality. "M-Meta Knight...what...?"

He slowly pulled his hand back doubtfully. "Did I make you uncomfortable? You were crying...though little mind you. Nonetheless, it still worries me. Why are you upset?"

"I-I'm not sure if that's necessary!" Jigglypuff whispered, forcing back the tears left unshed. "Sorry if I upset you. I won't let it happen again."

"Why are you ashamed of being honest? Holding in your feelings only makes the situation worse. Though I apologize I made you feel uncomfortable earlier. There was no excuse for my behaviour. I am sorry."

"Why would you be sorry? You did nothing wrong Meta Knight. The fact you are here for me is very comforting. It's been a long time since I had someone who cared about me," Jigglypuff replied, trying her best to smile though deep down inside, she was compelled for a breakdown. Her bottom lip quivered slightly but Meta Knight, fortunately, did not notice.

"Do...you enjoy stargazing?" He asked, faltering slightly.

Jigglypuff nodded. "Yes, it's a favourite pastime of mine."

"Have you ever wanted to see the stars up close before?" Jigglypuff blinked, trying to figure out what Meta Knight was hinting at.

"Many times," Jigglypuff said, eyes softening at the sight of the countless constellations hovering in the starry sky accompanying the full moon. She was grateful the ominous clouds of Subspace had not swallowed up the beautiful scenery around her...yet. "But my body is incapable of flight. It's still a dream though."

Meta Knight left it at that, at least for now. He quickly changed the subject. "Jigglypuff...are you afraid of me?"

She was taken aback by the question. "Why would I be? If I was, I wouldn't be here right now."

"It does not bother you I was possessed? That you were hurt by my own hands?" Meta Knight continued, fidgeting nervously with his cape.

"That wasn't _you._ The Meta Knight I know is very kind and thoughtful of others," Jigglypuff responded, eyes shining brightly with joy. "That's who I care about. _The real you._"

_"The real me..."_ Meta Knight thought to himself. He smiled behind his mask, despite being really worried himself. "Thank you Jigglypuff," he replied, unknowingly holding her hand in his.


	61. Episode Forty Eight

_Nothing much to say other than to enjoy the new chapter! The Season will get better from here on out._

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

_****************************************************************************************_

**Chapter Sixty One**

**Episode Forty Eight**

_Betrayal! Villain's Wrath_

Each of the villains took a seat at the table in the meeting room. Ganondorf arranged another meeting discussing what they would do next to achieve their goal. Most of the time they would be either bored or eager to commence the next part of their plan. However, today was not the case for the impatient villains.

None of the faces in the room displayed any sort of excitement, rather their expressions were of annoyance and anger. None of them were happy.

The door abruptly swung open, Wario rushing in the room with barely a second to spare. Ganondorf sat in the leader's chair waiting for everyone else to settle down before speaking up.

"You all understand why we are here," Ganondorf said. Everyone nodded in response, glares spread across their faces. "Our leader has betrayed us most unexpectedly. Most likely he is with the Smashers now. Very unfortunate."

The other villains did not look pleased with the news, the room filling with angry uproars and outbursts.

"He was supposed to be on our side!" Wolf growled.

Bowser joined in. "Why did he betray us?! I thought he was loyal to our cause, taking it upon himself to be the leader of our group."

Ganondorf narrowed his eyes. "Settle down, all of you. Your childish ways irritate me. That would explain why your plans have always been foiled by the so called heroes. If you all decided to listen to what I have to say, maybe you'll be able to succeed for once."

"What. Did. You. Say?" Bowser asked, almost breathing out fire from rage.

Dedede laughed. "He's got a point. You always got beaten by a fat plumber."

Bowser pointed a claw at the penguin threateningly. "You're one to talk. You always lose against a _pink puff_ the size of a beach ball."

Dedede withdrew his hammer. "You trying to start a fight?"

Bowser opened his mouth to protest when Dedede's hammer slammed Bowser into the wall.

"That's gonna hurt in the morning," Wolf said. Wario was about to laugh when he caught glimpse of the impatient expression on Ganondorf's face and settled down immediately.

"As I was saying," Ganondorf continued as if there was never a commotion in the first place. "I know his change in loyalty is aggravating but do not let that delay our plans. Do you really believe we ever needed him for us to succeed?"

A couple villains shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Ganondorf sighed.

"Though I am not pleased myself he turned against us, do you see me complaining? No. We never needed him. Meta Knight was merely a slave to me. As for why be betrayed us, I will discuss that with Tabuu."

The name echoed through the room several times, the other villains exchanging anxious expressions. They never spoke their superior's name from fear of his power. Yet Ganondorf didn't seem to fear Tabuu at all. They knew that the situation had to be serious if they were to get involved with Tabuu.

They almost covered and ducked down in their seats when Tabuu appeared on the communication screen. Ganondorf paid them no mind and ignored them. Was he the only one who did not fear Tabuu in the slightest?

"What is it that you want Ganondorf?" Tabuu asked.

"Our leader has betrayed our cause recently. Surely something must have gone wrong with our plan. I thought you had Meta Knight under your control."

"Did I?" Tabuu asked with fake surprise. "His betrayal was not my doing, I assure you Ganondorf. Only the purest can change those who have been cursed into the darkness."

"The purest you say?" Ganondorf said, deep in thought. "Who? You should know the answer to that. After all, possessing Meta Knight was your idea in the first place. It was not my intention."

"There is only one pure Smasher who I suspect may have been the cause for Meta Knight to act on his own free will. Have you not heard of Jigglypuff?" Tabuu asked.

"It's all that pink puff's fault Meta Knight betrayed us?" Bowser blurted out from anger.

"Normally he was not on our side, quite the opposite." Tabuu frowned. "Manipulating his mind took a long while. I was certain his good side would have been destroyed."

It was Wolf's turn to speak up. "Enough of the excuses. How are we to deal with this...inconvenience?"

"Trying to control him again would be too difficult. He'd be more resistant to the dark side than he was before. Though I admit, the Pure One does get on my nerves. Before she fully eliminated the evil within him, I could sense an attraction. That complicates our plan slightly yet if we use that to our advantage...Correct me if I'm wrong. Meta Knight's weakness is emotional pain. Should we take away everything he cares for, he's an easy victim."

"That does sound reasonable," Ganondorf agreed.

"Who should we take away?" Bowser asked.

Tabuu thought for a moment. "Perhaps the Pure One. He does care about her, it would seem."

"All we have to do is take her away from Meta Knight?" Dedede asked. Tabuu thought for a moment.

"It is more complicated than that and if I may mention it, too early. Their relationship is not strong enough to devastate Meta Knight completely. He would be able to live without her at the moment. Once their bond develops, we intervene and remove her when the Smashers are not paying attention."

"That might work, but how long will it take for those two to bond with each other?" Ganondorf asked. "We don't have all year for this to work."

"That is where I come in, Ganondorf," Tabuu asked. "I have a plan to get those two together but it will take time. It will be worth it seeing how depressed Meta Knight is once the Pure One's gone. Very soon though their bond will grow. This is only the beginning." His laughter rang out in the meeting room. The villains joined in his sadistic laughter satisfied at how well their plan would turn out.

~Meanwhile~

Jigglypuff sat quietly by the fireplace, eating her serving of soup in silence. The other Smashers sat together, conversation constantly flowing between one another. She ate very slowly, her mind occupied elsewhere other than her stomach. Jigglypuff hadn't eaten anything all day and still her appetite was declined.

The Smashers must have had at least three servings in their stomachs by now. It was peaceful inside their resistance base that night. The Smashers acted more of a family than they ever did in their entire time together.

Yet Jigglypuff, who was usually somewhat social kept her distance, not even halfway done her first serving. She tried to eat it as not to hurt Kirby's feelings, who took the time to make the soup for a special supper. Her stomach ached in protest once the bowl was empty. She massaged her stomach as she made her way to her bedroom coincidentally shared with Meta Knight. Come to think of it, he was not downstairs at all. She sighed, wrapping her shawl tightly around her chilly body. He was going without food...again and isolating himself away from the others.

It wasn't right to Jigglypuff, for Meta Knight to feel that need to avoid everyone almost all the time. They trusted him and showed he was forgiven, understanding he had been possessed but he never showed those same feelings in return. He mainly spoke to Jigglypuff but only on condition they were alone.

She still cursed herself for letting the thoughts of her trainer slip past her lips when it was supposed to stay her personal secret she swore not to tell anyone. That same time of her life she donned a shawl day and night to cover her body from the view of others. He never brought the subject up since and she was grateful about that...but where exactly was he?

Jigglypuff could search the whole base in every room and never found a trace of his existence. She sighed, wondering down the hallways as a last resort to pass the time. Then she noticed the beautiful starry sky above her out the window. She felt a rush of excitement spread through her body, opening the window to let the breeze sweep across her face. Had the day passed so quickly? She only remembered it being mid-afternoon.

It didn't matter. What counted was the picturesque sky above and the beauty of the constellations. Jigglypuff stood on the windowsill as if moved by a vision. She felt as light as the air itself and longed to float amongst it herself and with the stars as her company. She took a deep breath and began to jump out of the window, oblivious to her distance above the ground. She felt like she was flying for a moment, her hand reaching out for the stars.

Jigglypuff laughed softly, contented for the first time that day. The feeling of being suspended in the air thrilled her beyond anything she ever experienced.

Too caught up in the moment, she never noticed her body slowly descend from the sky about to give out. Jigglypuff still reached out to the stars humming softly a lullaby...the very same one her trainer sung to her before she passed away.

Her giggles echoed throughout the area. Jigglypuff craved the happiness she was experiencing immensely and forced her body further away from the resistance base leaving her with nothing to hold onto as the pull of gravity forced her down.

She suddenly opened her eyes upon the realization of what was going on. How could she be so careless to let her daydreams get the best of her? _"I'm such an idiot,"_ she thought as she saw how high she was in the sky. Her body fell down rapidly yet she didn't scream. Her voice couldn't work from the shock that seized her vocals.

Her hands managed to cling onto a branch of a nearby tree. In the process, the sharp edges cut through the side of her body. Jigglypuff bit her lip from the pain, barely able to keep her composure. Her heart thundered wildly from the frightening height. _"Maybe trying to fly among the stars wasn't such a good idea,_" she realized with regret. Jigglypuff would never get down the tree without hurting herself but to fall down at full force may result in her death. Jigglypuff gulped, clinging onto the tree, eyes burning.

"Jigglypuff, are you all right?" came a familiar voice. To her relief, she saw it was Meta Knight.

"Oh," she began, trying to recover from her near panic attack. "I'm sorry Meta Knight, I didn't see you."

"May I ask why you are up in that tree?" Jigglypuff's face flushed.

"You wouldn't believe me," she said. "I'd explain, but...I can't get down." Jigglypuff hated embarrassing herself in front of Meta Knight, even though he'd never make fun of her.

She watched in surprise as his cape turned into wings. He gently flew up to the very branch by her side. He held her tightly in his grasp, flying them both back to the resistance base through the open window. Jigglypuff collapsed on the ground, feet given out entirely from relief.

"Th-thanks Meta Knight," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he replied. "But would you mind explaining why you jumped out the window? You could have been seriously hurt or cost you your life. Did you not realize that?"

"I-I'm sorry!" she stuttered. "I don't know what came over me! I really don't...I just wanted to be with the stars. They have always comforted me when I felt down or worried. I felt...I had to be with them."

"To others, that could have been conceived as an act of suicide. You need to be careful Jigglypuff. I do not want to see you hurt," Meta Knight said. He froze in place when he noticed a few pure red drops drip from Jigglypuff's side.

"W-What's wrong?" Jigglypuff asked noticing the change in his behaviour. He stiffened up.

"You did hurt yourself," he said in a strained voice. He gently pushed aside the shawl concealing Jigglypuff's small wound. She tried to protest but he said softly, "Let me see it. Please do not be disagreeable. I am thinking in your best interests."

He saw the blood, his stomach twisting in revolt. Yet the scent appealed to him at the same time. Meta Knight shuddered, pulling away, hand resting on his masked forehead. Jigglypuff eyed him with worry. "How bad is it?"

Meta Knight didn't reply but instead took hold her hand and lead her to the bedroom. He searched through his cape and pulled out bandages, gently wrapping them around the wound to stop the flow of blood. Jigglypuff stood still to make it easier for him.

"Um...Meta Knight, are...you scared around blood?" The question popped out of her mouth before she could stop it. He bit his lip, luckily hidden behind the mask.

"No," he said, distancing himself away from her as not to inhale the scent of her blood. He couldn't lose control over himself now...he couldn't hurt Jigglypuff. He'd never be able to forgive himself if her pain was at the fault of his own hands.

"You don't seem sure," she said doubtfully. "If it makes you uncomfortable, you don't have to be afraid to say so. We wouldn't make fun of you Meta Knight, we'd understand."

"I am not afraid of blood," he said, words ironed flat with no expression or tone in them. "I am worried about you."

"I'll be fine," Jigglypuff assured him. "You did all you could to help me and I appreciate it. Thank you."

"Promise me you will not do such a thing again Jigglypuff," he said, hand on her shoulder. "Promise me."

"I promise Meta Knight. And I'm sorry I worried you."

"I forgive you," he said, giving her shoulder a tender and caring squeeze. "Be careful from now on. I do not want you to hurt physically or emotionally. I...care about you Jigglypuff." He gently stroked her hand before turning away, leaving her to rest.


	62. Episode Forty Nine

_I liked how this chapter turned out. It was fun to write and I hope you all enjoy it. The Season is a little over halfway done so the plot will really start to develop soon. Thank you so much to my reviewers for inspiring me to write more to this story:D This is dedicated to all my readers!_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

* * *

**Chapter Sixty Two**

**Episode Forty Nine**

_Temptation_

_He doesn't want to see me hurt...that would torment him too much. _

_I could only cover my wound with my shawl in an attempt to hide it from Meta Knight. He must not see the blood. It would only cause him worry and pain if knew. He could deny it all he wants but I know he is frightened of blood. I saw his tense posture as he witnessed my injury before and I'd rather not repeat the same experience._

_I could feel his hand push aside my shawl, exposing my wound for him to see. I bit my lip knowing it would only make him feel worse._

_The wound burned violently. I felt like very part of my body was stretched out and on fire. With shock, I realized the piercing scream belonged to me._

"_I'm dying..." I could remember whispering to Meta Knight who held my hand in a tight grip. "Go...I cannot be saved. Don't throw your life away."_

"_No, I care about you too much to leave you behind. If I have to die to save you, I will," he spoke. _

_My eyes burned with tears. "Don't."_

"Don't...don't..." Jigglypuff murmured as she sat up from the bed only to feel a sharp pain in her side.Her eyes widened as the pain brought her back to reality. It was only a dream, she was still alive and breathing and so was Meta Knight. What was she saying as she woke up? She didn't want to remember, in fear of recalling her bad dream.

The bandage reminded her of what happened the previous night when she had jumped out the window, simply to be with the stars. Why had she acted so carelessly without considering the consequences? Jigglypuff loved the stars with a passion but she would never have acted like that to see them fully aware of her body lacking the ability of flight. There was only so high she could go.

Jigglypuff gazed at the window to see the starry sky. She blinked in confusion. Was it still the same night or had she slept for an entire day? She restrained her fear, trying not to panic without knowing the facts. It was possible she could have only slept a couple hours.

Meta Knight was not in the room, his bed mysteriously deserted. Everyone else was sleeping so there was no one Jigglypuff could talk to and confirm her suspicions. What day was it? What month? She didn't know. Jigglypuff never knew the time anymore. Seconds passed and still she sat on the bed contemplating the possibilities.

Again, that wondrous feeling swept over her being and filled her insides with a rush of adrenaline. She smiled at the stars above and could not help being attracted to them. Only when she stood on the windowsill about to jump did she realize what she was doing.

"_What is happening to me?"_

Jigglypuff found her balance lost as her feet were too far off the edge of the windowsill. She gasped softly, her body descending slowly downwards with fear she realized, towards the forest. Jigglypuff knew Meta Knight would not be there to save her this time. It was a feeling she had inside her heart. She did enjoy being in his grasp though with his warm and gentle arms embracing her as if to say 'everything will be all right.'

She shut her eyes tight when the ground came in sight. Here she was about to die and couldn't do anything about it. _"Goodbye Meta Knight and everyone. I wish I knew what was wrong with me. You don't know and neither do I. I guess that's how life works. My destiny was meant to be a painful death...like my trainer."_

A tear rolled down her face before her body landed on the ground with a thud and became still.

*~*

She lay perfectly still on her back and let her mind wonder, still waiting for her death to come. Death was inevitable and impossible to escape from. The black abyss of nothingness would soon swallow her whole and with no regret. Should she feel the same and be glad her end had come?

Jigglypuff gasped when she found herself choking on water. Where exactly was she? Eyes fully opened, she realized she was in a lake, her shawl sticking onto her wet body. She silently swam back to the river bank and didn't move for a few minutes trying to recover from her shock and fright. The water saved her life; a miracle she never expected to happen.

Her body shook for a long time from the cold and fear. She didn't know her way back to the resistance base, she noticed with a sudden shock. How would she ever get back and let the others know she was all right? Jigglypuff looked all around her to ensure she was completely alone before quietly removing her shawl; something she swore never to do but this was an exception.

A few scars marked her body, permanently torn into the skin. They were a sign of failure and weakness. Jigglypuff knew she was weak from experience in Super Smash Brothers. Her hand gently touched them, her mind in a trance.

No one ever saw her without her shawl before. Jigglypuff refused to let them see the scars that remained on her body. She couldn't have the shawl off without shame striking her conscious one way or another in some shape or form. Her body was hideous in her eyes and she loathed seeing it. Her shawl was too wet for comfort though so she decided at long last to find her way back with it off. She kept it in her grip in case someone was to find her. Jigglypuff wouldn't take the chance of anyone seeing what she really looked like.

Jigglypuff could barely see anything around her, the tops of the trees almost blocking out the light of the full moon completely. Though afraid, Jigglypuff kept progressing through the forest, unsure whether she was going the right way. She was completely lost.

She huddled against the nearest tree, clutching her shawl tightly. Every sound startled her as if expecting to be attacked. Her heart performed summersaults when she could a nearly branch break off the tree. Was someone following her?

From above, Meta Knight inwardly cursed at himself for almost giving himself away. He had known she had left the resistance base but it hadn't been long ago since he found out where she was. He frowned behind the mask, hoping that she was not hurt. He carefully gazed down below from the tree he was standing upon, making sure not to make a sound this time. If she found out he was here...

Jigglypuff continued through the forest, pupils microscopic, tingles travelling down her back as if to warn her she was being followed but by who? No one knew where she was. Her shawl was already wrapped around her again, not nearly as wet as it was before. The damp material comforted her somehow as if someone dear was holding her close telling her not to be afraid.

Meta Knight, however, was restraining to keep himself out of her sight. He wanted to approach her but to his annoyance, he felt too nervous. He meant it when he said he cared about her but did he care about her a little too much for his own good? For his feelings to desire her so much made him feel...selfish. Jigglypuff deserved someone better than him. He would only bring her down and tear her apart when she spent time with him. He wouldn't take away her life. His demon inside wanted that and the force that had once possessed him.

Jigglypuff was exhausted. Completely worn out and tired on the verge of collapsing. Any moment her body would betray her. How long had it been since she ate anything? Just how long was she unconscious in the first place?

He was sure he would not be seen. Meta Knight was about to take a step forward when the branch broke. Startled, he gasped as he fell from above. Before he could descend any further, his cape was caught in a tangle of branches, holding him in place. Jigglypuff turned around, jaw dropping in both relief and astoundment that it was Meta Knight who had been following her.

"M-Meta Knight?"

"Jigglypuff, are you all right?"

"Of course not," Jigglypuff replied, frowning. "Why shouldn't I be? I thought I was never going to see you again and be trapped here for the rest of my life!" She gazed at him with hesitance. "Meta Knight, are you stuck up there?"

His face flushed. "N-No." He tucked on his cape, hoping the branch will let him go. Jigglypuff found herself giggling at Meta Knight's attempts to free himself. The seemingly emotionless knight trapped in a tree unable to escape. She did find that rather amusing.

"Explain why you think this is funny," Meta Knight replied irritably. Jigglypuff opened her mouth to respond when his cape suddenly successfully pulled out from the branch causing him to fall down on his masked face on the ground.

"Are you okay?" She asked, helping him stand up. He didn't realize until he was up off ground that he was holding her hand. Cheeks a darker shade of pink, he gently let go.

"T-thank you," he said. "What is wrong Jigglypuff? You were distraught earlier."

"Oh, um...how long was I sleeping?" Jigglypuff wanted to mentally kick herself in the head for being so absurd and idiotic.

"...One week," he whispered after what felt like an hour. Jigglypuff could have fainted from the response.

"W-Why? What happened to me? Was I...possessed again?"

Meta Knight nodded. "That's what everyone suspected. Though I have not yet told anyone, I believe that is the reason of why you had almost killed yourself last week. I fear the enemy was trying to possess you, knowing how to use your love of the stars to his advantage. It is most unfortunate for you to suffer. You need to be careful from now on."

"I...know I was possessed tonight. The same force was trying to control me again."

Meta Knight's eyes widened. "What?"

"At the last minute, I realized what I was doing but it was too late and I fell from my bedroom. I only remember waking up in a lake, the landing happening to save my life. I was sure I was dead." Jigglypuff trembled violently. "W-What is wrong with me Meta Knight? What if the true enemy is...me?"

"No, you are not. You were only possessed. That is not who you really are. The Jigglypuff I know is very compassionate of others, who would do anything to ensure no one was hurt. I admire that Jigglypuff, your kind nature. Your ability to express your feelings freely and with no regret or shame. I wish I could do the same."

"You can Meta Knight, you need to believe in yourself and accept that you feel the way you do. Everyone has feelings. It is nothing unnatural to open up to others," Jigglypuff said. "I learned that before my trainer died. He taught me it was all right to trust others though at the time I didn't believe him. Now I realize he was right all along."

"You mentioned your trainer before. What happened to him?"

"He passed away," Jigglypuff said briefly.

Meta Knight looked away. "I'm sorry..."

"Please don't." Jigglypuff inched closer to him until their sides touched. Her eyes widened. "I-I..."

"It's all right," Meta Knight said, wrapping an arm around her somewhat casually. "You must be cold."

Jigglypuff nodded. "I fell in the lake."

Meta Knight's face flushed again. "Oh..."

Jigglypuff snuggled against his body for warmth. "Meta Knight, can we stay here for a while longer. I want to discuss something with you in private while the two of us are alone."

He nodded. "Sure, no problem. What is on your mind?"

"_He's_ been on my mind for a while," Jigglypuff replied. "I'm ready to tell you how he died."


	63. Episode Fifty

_Nothing to say except to enjoy the chapter and I am sorry if it was late getting done. I had a busy week and couldn't get in the mood to write. _

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

* * *

**Chapter Sixty Three**

**Episode Fifty**

_Hope_

He remained silent for a moment in comprehension. "Jigglypuff, who exactly are you talking about?"

"My Pokemon Trainer," Jigglypuff replied. "The one who cared for me. He's been on my mind lately...and it's really bothering me."

Unknowingly, Meta Knight inched closer to her. "Did something happen to him? Is...that what bothers you?" His intense gaze sent a shiver down Jigglypuff's back. She nodded hesitantly.

"I do have a suspicion the enemy might be using those memories against me and to tempt me in hurting myself. Whoever it is knew my love for the stars and wanted to use that passion to kill me. I think I need to talk about it now. Before I wanted to tell her about it; the night I first jumped out the window but I just couldn't. Maybe if I tell you, I have a less chance of being possessed. It's a possibility."

"Would that not be too personal Jigglypuff? At that time you were crying in your sleep. I would not feel comfortable if I invaded your privacy."

"It is my choice. I trust you enough to tell you what happened to me and you only," Jigglypuff said, snuggling against the cape for warmth, her shawl still damp. "It is not an invasion of privacy. I agreed to talk to you about it."

"All right then," Meta Knight said, gazing intently into her eyes. "I will be here as long as it takes. Do not feel compelled to rush."

Jigglypuff looked down at the forest floor. "Before I became a Smasher, I lived on my home planet with my Pokemon Trainer. He was the best one I ever knew. He treated me like a part of his family and I lived a happy life. I never asked for it, it came to me and I greatly appreciated it. I felt like I would live in this happiness forever but I was delusional. Nothing lasts forever as I've been told but I never really understood it. When I was young, I was naive. I had no idea at one time, my lifestyle would is disappear before me."

"I sometimes called my Pokemon Trainer my father and he smiled whenever I said that. He was equal to that of a parent and brought me up well. When I was six months old, he allowed me to train at my own will and offered me advice that would help me become a better fighter. I was thrilled at his praise and the hope inside me inspired me to continue on with my training to be the best that I could be. I was never a good fighter but he accepted me for who I was and never pressed me to work harder. He left that decision to me who would in the end, decide my own future."

"I had a couple friends and we occasionally spent time playing with each other. I had others who would tease me about being weak but I paid it no mind. I knew who really mattered in my life; my Pokemon Trainer and my friends. I soon received the invitation to become a participant in the first Super Smash Brothers and both my Trainer and I were excited. A week into the tournament, I was homesick and I wanted to leave the tournament but I just couldn't. I felt trapped. It was easier though when I got to visit him on the holidays. He was pleased with my progress and I was too. Nothing could get worse as I once believed."

"When I received the invitation to Super Smash Brothers Melee, he was so proud of me. I was growing up and finding my own way in life. I was gaining my own independence and wasn't as sad to be leaving my Pokemon Trainer. It was only two weeks before I would depart for the Smash Brothers Universe. I was excited, very excited now that I think about it. I was outside waiting for my friends to meet me at the garden when I heard footsteps from behind me. I didn't think much of it. I believed it was one of my friends. When I was about to turn around, I felt an agonizing blow against my body. I opened my eyes only to see I was lying on the opposite side of the garden and at that time, I was starting to bleed. I was so scared...what if my Pokemon Trainer didn't know where I was?"

"I felt a knife cut through my back a second later and I only remember screaming with pain as more blood spread across my body. This person was going to kill me, I had realized with a stabbing fear. (no pun intended) I felt like I was going to die. I was so relieved when I saw my Pokemon Trainer arrive, I felt like I was saved and this would all be over. My attacker was no longer hurting me but I realized he was after _him_ instead...He was going to die to save me. The attacker was nothing but a shadow..."

"_Jigglypuff, go!" he shouted at me. I stared at him, wide eyed and petrified. _

"_I can't!" I screamed at him. "How can I leave you to fight with that murderer? It isn't right. After all you done for me, I cannot leave you here by yourself! Are you insane?!"_

"_I am doing what is right for the one I care about," he replied, smiling. "Go for help while I deal with him. Hurry! I don't have much time."_

_I opened my mouth to speak but the attacker advanced on him again, knife aimed to kill. He turned his attention to me and pursued me as I tried to run as far away as I could. His knife grazed my body again, this time on my side and I fell to the ground, covered in blood. I screamed in pain, hoping someone could hear me._

"_Your number is up, pink puff," the shadow said, a sharp kick connecting with one of my wounds. My response was the same cry of agony and sorrow my life was to end and there was nothing I could do about it. I really wished I was a better fighter. _

_My Pokemon Trainer was at my side a moment later, fighting off the shadow that nearly ended my life. _

"_No, don't!" I screamed at him to stop. "Don't risk for life for me. I'm not worth it."_

"_You are worth it, my dear Jigglypuff. Live on for me if I can't. I am so proud of you and how much you have accomplished. Please go. It's for the best."_

_A second after he spoke, I was about to fight the shadow myself when I saw the knife fully pierce through my Pokemon Trainer's chest._

Jigglypuff wiped her eyes gently with her shawl, turning away slightly so Meta Knight couldn't see her tears. He saw them though and slowly wrapped his arms around her. She looked in his direction, surprised he was hugging her. She never saw him openly show his feelings before and appreciated the comforting touch.

"I'm sorry," Jigglypuff said, trying to hold back her tears. "I didn't mean to get so emotional."

"I understand how difficult it is for you to talk about it. You should not be ashamed about it. I wish I was strong enough to do the same. I admire your courage."

Jigglypuff's jaw could have dropped all the way down to the ground. Did he really compliment her? Called her courageous? She just couldn't believe it. Jigglypuff had to be dreaming. She quickly pulled herself together and gave him a gentle smile. "Thank you," she replied, the rest of her story, she hoped, wouldn't be as hard to confess.

"_Answer me!" I called out, holding my Pokemon Trainer's hand but he didn't respond. More tears poured down my face, even as the police and ambulance approached._

_Scared completely out of my wits, I could only desert the scene before anyone could see me. The house felt so empty, the very life of it having been taken away by the endless abyss of death. I could only collapse on the ground, the truth sinking in at last._

_I was completely wrapped in bandages in the hospital room when I woke up. I was oblivious to the several questions that I had been asked. I couldn't concentrate on anything or even think clearly. I felt dead inside, like a lifeless incubus._

_He was dead and I was only half living. Despite the fact that death has changed my life, I was willing to still accept my invitation to Melee as I know he would have wanted. I would heal before then. Nobody would ever know what happened to me. That would be my secret._

"I did heal before then as I hoped," Jigglypuff continued. "My injuries however left scars on my body and I was too ashamed for anyone to see them. As a result, I donned my shawl ever since then so no one would have to see the scars. They were a reminder I couldn't protect the one who cared for me and that I wasn't strong enough. I was weak. I used to ignore the rude comments behind my back but since then, I truly believed them.I was weak. If I was strong, I could have been more than capable of fighting off that murderer like any _normal_ Pokemon."

"Though I healed externally to a point, I was still scarred inside and still am now. The stars remind me of the times I used to share with my Pokemon Trainer and the comfort I missed so much. My life at some point was the stars. Even now I still love them so much. My Pokemon Trainer had been buried at a full moon under the starry sky. I wanted to stay with him after death but he told me to live on and so I did what I was told even if I wanted to join him. He wouldn't have wanted that to happen. He devoted a lot of time to me and wanted me to be the best I could be." Jigglypuff shivered slightly from the cold only to have the cape wrapped around her again.

"I meant it when I said you were brave Jigglypuff. To have the hope to live on is difficult. I understand how you feel from past experiences and still to this day I cannot speak of them. If I had your strength..." He trailed off, Jigglypuff's eyes widening.

"Why...haven't you been able to talk about them? Is...it bad?" He nodded, eyes briefly glowing grey. She never saw them change to that colour before.

"Meta Knight...?" She began, when they reverted back to their original gold.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

Jigglypuff fidgeted with her hands. "No, not exactly. I feel much better now that I talked about my Pokemon Trainer. Thank you so much for being there Meta Knight."

"It was not a problem Jigglypuff. I do not like seeing you upset. You deserve to be happy," he replied. He stood up, Jigglypuff copying his action. He slowly reached for her hand. "Shall we then?"

Jigglypuff nodded but before holding his hand, she gently used her shawl to wipe away the dirt on his mask. He stared at her, confused. She giggled softly. "Your mask got dirty. You should be more careful not to get stuck in any more trees Meta Knight."

His face flushed slightly, but at the same time he was smiling. "I was not stuck in that tree." Together, they held hands as Meta Knight lead her through the forest back to the resistance base. Jigglypuff liked how chivalrous he was the way there. She accepted the fact that she had a crush on him. She was attracted to him and the trust between them had grown stronger.

No one else would ever know of their moment together. It would only be between them.


	64. Episode Fifty One

_The plot is finally beginning. The Season is almost over so expect a lot more action in the last few chapters. There's still much yet to come. Thank you all so much for reviewing! I feel really motivated to type right now!_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

* * *

**Chapter Sixty Four**

**Episode Fifty One**

_The Mastermind_

Jigglypuff was never so relieved to be out of the forest in her life. She had to be in there with Meta Knight for at least three hours when she saw the sun slowly rise over the horizon. When she had fallen from the window and got lost, the moon was still high in the sky. She wasn't complaining though, enjoying Meta Knight's company thoroughly. Jigglypuff couldn't remember the last time someone cared for her before she met him...she really did miss that feeling. The void of emptiness had been a hole in her heart and only now was it healing slowly.

Meta Knight's hand was still in hers as they walked towards the resistance base. Jigglypuff never experienced this kind of emotion before. Her trainer was like a parent but this emotion was different than that...more like a _relationship._ She shuddered, not wanting to imagine the bond between them being that close when he would never feel that way towards her.

She felt completely tired from sleep deprivation, having been awake almost the entire night. Jigglypuff leaned against Meta Knight's shoulder, eyes closing.

Meta Knight's heart rate sped up as he felt Jigglypuff lean against him. He had not expected her to trust him so much. Smiling behind his mask, he held her in his arms as she continued to drift deeper into unconsciousness.

No one would know of what just happened between them. They were still sleeping in their beds, oblivious to the growing relationship between Meta Knight and Jigglypuff.

Meta Knight carefully let go of Jigglypuff, placing her on her bed, pulling the covers over her gently. He gazed into her eyes with longing for a few full seconds before he realized what he was doing. Cheeks a darker shade of pink, he turned away and lay down in his own bed. He wrapped himself in his covers. The metal on his face felt somewhat uncomfortable so carefully, he removed it, setting the mask on the small table beside him. Meta Knight knew Jigglypuff would respect his privacy regardless they slept in the same room. She had briefly seen his face before, he remembered with embarrassment.

Sighing out of content, he drifted to sleep himself.

No one spoke a word. What was there to say? They constantly debated over and over of their plan and now that it would be in action soon, what was there to do? There was only one answer to that. One only the villains group could give.

Watch movies of course and continuously eating fast food.

Ganondorf rolled his eyes when he entered the meeting room only to see the television set on playing a really cheesy cartoon comedy. Was that all the villains could think of doing? He didn't know he even considered them villains anymore if all they could think of doing was wasting time. He glared resentfully at the group who wouldn't even take their eyes off the screen to acknowledge he was there.

He could sympathize with Meta Knight now...that is, when he was still loyal to their cause and under Tabuu's control... Ganondorf could remember that situation very clearly.

Ganondorf again could feel a rising anger towards that _blue puffball_ that dared call himself a knight. He was supposed to be loyal to them! Not those _heroes!_ What could have gone wrong with him being under Tabuu's control? He would have expected better of that _holographic butterfly_. He was the mastermind of this whole plan after all...or so he thought. Tabuu didn't have to be fully informed did he?

He chuckled as he stepped into the pilot room. He realized now he never needed Meta Knight on his side. He needed him as his enemy rather than an ally. It would work out to his standards, his perfection...the way he wanted it to happen.

Since Meta Knight really cared about Jigglypuff, taking her away would be the best thing to do at this point. All he had to do was wait for Meta Knight and the others to come to him. Ganondorf grinned as his plan formulated through his mind. It was flawless and without complications. Taking away Jigglypuff would be the easy part. He knew from the tournaments how weak she was. Jigglypuff wouldn't have the strength to defend herself from anything.

Ganondorf only got more confident as he recited the plan over and over again in his mind. It was his plan. His mission. The others were not a part of it, not even the lazy weaklings who did nothing but spend time slacking off watching television. Not even Tabuu himself would know of his intentions.

When it all came down to it, he would have to take out Tabuu himself when the time came. Who was he to call himself the ruler of Subspace if he couldn't even control a blueberry a foot and a half tall? Why couldn't he do better? He was the King of Evil.

It was for his own entertainment that he still listened to Tabuu. He was clueless of his impeding demise and that would only make his reaction even more memorable when he emerged victorious. He wished to speak with right now but the meeting room was currently occupied by the villains watching the television.

He was the King of Evil. He could have his own way. And that was exactly what he was going to do. He was stronger than the others by far and yet they still thought they were something special? It didn't make sense to Ganondorf. What had they done to prove themselves worthy of being called a villain?

Ganondorf relished in the thought of being the first to take out Tabuu. That would make him the strongest. Anyone who dared challenge him would be reduced to begging for mercy falling at his tremendous power. He lived on through several battles and tried to better himself after each one. What could Tabuu possibly do to put him at life threatening danger? He survived falling castles. He even survived being stabbed with the Master Sword countless times.

He opened the door to the meeting room and quietly turned off the lights. None of the villains looked up to acknowledge his presence yet again. Irritated, Ganondorf promptly walked up to the television and turned it off, pressing the power switch. That got the others attention but they were rather ticked and annoyed.

"What the hell was that for?"

"It was getting to the good part!"

"Enough!" His voice rose steadily, silencing the villains. "I request to once again speak with Tabuu and that cannot be done if you are all watching television can it? You are too much distracted. Did we not become an allegiance because we believed in the same cause?"

"We still do," Bowser said. "But we don't exactly have anything to do right now. We still haven't heard from Tabuu?"

Ganondorf facepalmed. "That is my point. How could we find out what he wanted if you are all too busy watching cartoons? See the complication?"

"We apologize," he replied, moving away from the television.

"I will let this go one last time," Ganondorf said. "At this point, laziness is not an option. We all need to cooperate. Do you remember when we all teamed up the disable the Smash Mansion of its security? Do you recall how you worked together to destroy what the Smashers called home? Do you see them in the Smash Mansion now? No you don't. We all worked together and that is why everything went as planned."

The screen turned on, the wait eerily long. The other villains deep down were freaked out by Tabuu but they wouldn't admit that.

"Are you ready for the next part of the plan?" Tabuu asked.

Ganondorf nodded. "Yes. Is it time to take away the Pure One?"

Tabuu thought for a moment. "That would be perfect. Use any method to take her from the others except death. I wish to do the honours myself when I meet Meta Knight face to face. Do not kill her yet whatever you do. It is not yet time for her death."

The villains exchanged nervous glances when Ganondorf wasn't looking. Taking away Jigglypuff would be difficult. Meta Knight was powerful and they exactly want to confront him in the process.

"Are you all ready?" Ganondorf asked. "To work together once again?"

They all hesitantly nodded.

"Then let us begin. It is time."


	65. Episode Fifty Two

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to SSBB.

* * *

**Chapter Sixty Five**

**Episode Fifty Two**

_Sentimental_

It didn't seem right. Maybe Ganondorf was going too far with his plan. The villains sighed with relief as he left the room. Normally they would have turned on the television again, but none of them were in the mood.

"We are not going to follow his orders?" Wolf asked in disbelief.

"That's right," Bowser replied. "Taking away Jigglypuff is crossing the line. If he wants to take over Subspace so badly, he doesn't need to separate her from the Smashers. I don't understand him sometimes. He thinks he's the boss of us and I'm tired of it."

"He _is_ the boss of us," Wario interjected.

"Who asked you?" Bowser snapped causing Wario to slump down in his seat.

"He does have a point though," Wolf said. "If Ganondorf knew of this, we would never hear the end of it. He is already ticked that Tabuu couldn't take control of Meta Knight. He'd called it another betrayal. We need to do something."

"How about getting more snacks? I'm hungry!" Dedede complained. The others facepalmed.

* * *

Jigglypuff nervously fidgeted with her shawl, watching the Smashers with uncertainty. They were currently having a feast in the resistance base but she couldn't find the will inside herself to enjoy the moment. Lately, Snake had investigated the cause and possibilities of the true enemy: Subspace. The name sent shivers down her back.

The leader of Subspace had to be the same enemy who possessed Meta Knight and tried to take over her free will too. The others had made a strategy and a plan. They would be leaving for Subspace tomorrow and everyone was ready to go and to celebrate their progress, they decided to have a party.

Jigglypuff couldn't enjoy it. She just couldn't. They could die tomorrow attempting to vanquish the darkness. This could be the last night she'd see the stars. She wanted to see it one last time.

She quietly snuck out when no one was looking and found a comfortable spot by the forest to sit down. She wasn't as afraid of the forest as she used to be. Tears stung her eyes when she gazed up at the constellations above. Would she still be alive to witness a sight like this again? Would she survive the battle that awaited the Smashers?

The sound of clinking armour brought her back from the worried thoughts and fears. She knew by now it was Meta Knight who was approaching her. Her stomach became unsettled with butterflies when his cape touched her side.

"Is something the matter?"

"No," she replied, knowing that was a complete lie.

"Why are you out here all alone? The others will be worried about you," Meta Knight said.

Jigglypuff sighed. "I guess so but I really want to be here, not a party. I like stargazing better. Do you?"

"Sometimes," Meta Knight admitted. "I do not particularly enjoy parties myself."

"Meta Knight, how long have you isolated yourself from everyone? You must feel lonely," Jigglypuff replied.

"I cannot remember how long it has been." He sighed, looking down. "Why does this concern you so? You should not dwell upon my problems. They are not for you to worry about Jigglypuff."

"I care about you Meta Knight? Can you not realize that?" Her voice was almost a plead.

Meta Knight sighed again. "Jigglypuff... Why?"

Jigglypuff bit her lip nervously. "Did... I do something wrong? I didn't offend you, did I?"

"No, you did not. I was merely surprised that you meant that," Meta Knight replied, smiling behind the mask. "I cannot recall the last time anyone has cared for me. That feeling...is unusual."

"I wouldn't lie to you," she said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. He looked down at their entwined hands, his eyes slightly widening in shock. Jigglypuff's face flushed slightly red in response. "Is something wrong?"

"No," he whispered, feeling the heat concentrate on his cheeks. His voice weakened as he spoke.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

He nodded slowly, deciding not to speak.

"You don't mind then?" Jigglypuff pressed further, her hand beginning to remove the glove. She expected him to resist but he didn't, instead staying completely still.

"I-I do not mind," he said carefully, trying to pronounce each word properly. His glove continued to slide off his hand yet Meta Knight didn't care. Maybe it was the fact that he developed a strong trust for Jigglypuff.

Jigglypuff said nothing as she completely took the glove off his hand. She saw Meta Knight take off the other, placing it on the ground beside his other one.

She realized this may be the best and last moment they share time alone together. They would be fighting against Subspace tomorrow. This may be her last and only chance to tell Meta Knight how she felt. Alone.

"Meta Knight, do you want to go for a walk with me?"

"Sure," Meta Knight replied, picking up his gloves and put them in his cape, deciding to keep them off since they were alone. Jigglypuff was not used to him without them and tried very hard to resist staring at his hands.

As her heart rate began to calm down, she realized that Meta Knight was holding her hand. She blushed, the warmth of his hand soothing against her own. Jigglypuff shivered from the sudden chilly air. Meta Knight wrapped his cape around her, the soft velvet like material snug around her body.

"Better?" He asked, smiling.

Jigglypuff returned the smile. "Much."

They stayed in the same position for quite a while until Meta Knight broke the silence. "Jigglypuff, you said you enjoy stargazing did you not? Have you always wanted to see them up close? In the sky?"

Jigglypuff nodded. "Yes, it has been a dream of mine or should I say fantasy. That dream, I know, will never come true. My body is incapable of flight."

"True, but mine can."

Jigglypuff's heart rate sped up. "Oh, that's right. I remember. Does that mean...?"

"Jigglypuff, hold on tight," Meta Knight replied. Jigglypuff shifted awkwardly. Hold on where? What was he talking about? He chuckled at her confusion, causing her to blush.

"What's so funny?" Jigglypuff asked, greatly embarrassed.

"I meant for you to hold on tight. Around my body."

Jigglypuff's blush deepened. "Of course. I knew that." She couldn't believe this was happening to her. It was like all her dreams were coming true. Meta Knight let his cape flow back behind him, allowing Jigglypuff to wrap her arms around his body. Her face was red during the whole process. Never was she this physically close to him. It felt strange but at the same time, it felt right.

She watched in amazement as his cape disappeared, the wings taking its place. From a closer perspective, she realized that they were real. Exactly what was Meta Knight anyway? She held tightly onto him as they slowly ascended in the sky.

Seeing the ground so far below made her nervous. Jigglypuff shut her eyes clinging onto Meta Knight, who had his arms wrapped around her almost in an embrace. Suddenly, they stopped abruptly. Jigglypuff didn't know where they were. Maybe she was dreaming after all.

"Open your eyes Jigglypuff," Meta Knight whispered softly.

Her eyelids fluttered open. At first, she didn't know what was going on. Jigglypuff soon saw that they were hanging upside-down from a tree, high above the ground, surrounded by a cluster of stars. She gasped from fright, clutching tightly to Meta Knight.

Meta Knight instantly responded. "What is the matter? Are you all right?" Jigglypuff sighed, trying to regain her composure.

"Yes."

"Surprised?"

"That's an understatement!" Her voice lost all control and now shook.

"Why are you crying?" he asked her, startled.

"Because I'm scared!" Jigglypuff said, flushing, ashamed to have let her emotions control her again. "Why aren't we falling?"

"Mind over matter," Meta Knight replied. He wiped away her remaining tears. "Do not cry. Would I ever left you fall?"

"N-No," she whispered, ashamed.

"Do not be afraid," he said in a gentle, comforting voice. "I apologize for frightening you so much."

"Please don't," Jigglypuff said. "I should have been paying attention." She suddenly felt them descend for a second. By the time she was brave enough to open her eyes, they were sitting side by side on the branch below. She hugged Meta Knight, burying her face against his shoulder.

His heart beat faster at the sign of trust. Usually he would have pulled away but he found himself returning the gesture. Jigglypuff's eyes widened when one of his soft ungloved hands brushed along her cheek. Realizing what he was doing, his hands dropped back to his sides. "I am sorry," he said. "That was uncalled for."

"No, it's okay!" she assured him. "I...liked it." Immediately she covered her mouth, blushing.

"So did I," Meta Knight admitted. Jigglypuff hid her red face against his shoulder. Shortly after, he could feel a tear slid down his arm. He looked up, shocked. "Jigglypuff, what is wrong?"

"It will all be over very soon won't it?" Jigglypuff said, eyes burning. "We may never be together like this again...We are leaving for Subspace tomorrow. I don't know what will happen..."

"Jigglypuff...I..." Meta Knight was at a loss of words. She quietly began to cry against his shoulder.

"I want to stay with you forever. We could die tomorrow trying to stop Subspace!" She continued, completely resting against his body.

"I am aware of that," Meta Knight said, awkward.

"Do you even care?" she asked him, her teary eyes meeting his. "Are you afraid?"

He sighed, shifting uncomfortably. "A little but I cannot allow my emotions to interfere with the upcoming battle if I hope to survive. It would only cause harm in the end."

"Oh Meta Knight!" she sobbed. "Can you not hide your emotions at least once? I don't want to see a facade all the time! I want to be with _you _and know how you're feeling!"

"J-Jigglypuff," he stuttered. "I...uh..." What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he say anything to comfort her? His body acted on its own, pressing hard against Jigglypuff's in a hug.

"Meta Knight, please don't leave me. Ever."

"I will not Jigglypuff. I will always be with you wherever we go."

She kept weeping on his shoulder, too emotional to respond. Jigglypuff managed to calm down a couple minutes later in the security of Meta Knight's arms.

"Jigglypuff," he began. "I am sorry if I made you upset. I should have been more honest with you."

"Don't blame yourself. It's understandable," Jigglypuff replied, wiping away her tears. "You had a hard life in the past, didn't you?"

He nodded. "That does not matter though. That was the past. What does matter is that we defeat Tabuu tomorrow. I also wish to be with you forever Jigglypuff."

"You c-care about _me?_ I thought..."

"I always cared about you and still do. Even when I was possessed, I could see what was going on around me. For example, when we were dancing at the party..." He sighed. "I felt too unsure of myself to admit it. I was certain you would hate me."

Jigglypuff smiled. "I wouldn't think of you that way. I really care about you too. A lot."

Meta Knight rested his masked face against her cheek. "Do you know how much I care about you Jigglypuff?" Her hand held onto the clasps of his mask.

"How much?"

He placed both hands on her shoulders, meeting her gaze. "I love you Jigglypuff."

It was like she was frozen in time. Meta Knight really said he loved her...Her jaw dropped in shock. "You l-love me?"

"Immensely so," he replied, hard to believe those words were coming from his mouth. "I love you more than anything."

Jigglypuff hugged him so tightly, he almost gasped for breath. "I love you too Meta Knight. I want to be at your side forever."

"I feel the same way Jigglypuff."

They stared into each other's eyes longingly before Jigglypuff spoke up. "Meta Knight, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

Jigglypuff bit her lip. "Why...do you wear that mask all the time?"

Meta Knight's heart rate sped up dramatically. Uncertainty made him hesitate. Why did he not suspect she would ask him about his mask? She wouldn't think differently after knowing the truth, would she?

"Are you sure you want to know Jigglypuff?"

Jigglypuff nodded, expression serious. "I do."

Meta Knight looked away. "I despise my appearance. For that reason, I never take the mask off."

"I saw you before without it. You were cute," Jigglypuff confessed.

Meta Knight recalled the memory with both chagrin and shame. He had been possessed then trying to kill Jigglypuff. Yet he felt his face flush. "I-I am not cute. Please do not call me that."

"Why not? I'm only being honest," Jigglypuff replied, undoing the straps of his mask. "I'd like to see your face again Meta Knight."

He froze up, afraid as Jigglypuff slowly removed the metal from his face. Whether or not it was to prolong the moment, Meta Knight was unsure. She smiled at him when he gazed in her direction.

"Like I said before, you're cute," she said.

Meta Knight blushed much to his dismay. As awkward as he felt, he was compelled to inch closer to Jigglypuff until their faces were only an inch apart.

"Be still..." he whispered. "I want to do this properly." Her heart pounded heavily as his lips approached hers. Her eyes closed as to strengthen the moment.

Meta Knight wrapped an arm around Jigglypuff's body, sending a shiver down her spine. Though hesitating, his desires took over his fears. Jigglypuff's hands secured his shoulders in place, occasionally rubbing gentle small circles on his skin. He no longer felt afraid of being rejected. She saw his face, confessed her love for him and Jigglypuff still accepted him for who he was regardless.

Meta Knight leaned forward one last time and kissed her.

Jigglypuff immediately blushed as his lips touched hers. They were still soft and warm on her own yet with a distinct texture that could not compare with another. With Meta Knight's mouth completely covering her own, Jigglypuff felt elated; a 'high' of love as she would call it. Meta Knight's ungloved hands stroked her face. With every stroke, her blush deepened.

They separated from the kiss, both out of breath. Jigglypuff couldn't think straight, too dazed from the kiss. She could faintly taste strawberries on her lips, her tongue tingling constantly. "Th-That was...amazing."

Meta Knight nodded in agreement. He held her tightly, yet gently, inching closer to her face. "I apologize for being selfish. Once is not enough for me."

Jigglypuff smiled. "I feel the same way."

The next kiss, however, was different. Meta Knight's tongue traced along her lips before his pressed against them. Jigglypuff felt his tongue force its way through her lips, searching. She blushed, almost falling over backwards off the tree branch.

Still kissing, Meta Knight held Jigglypuff, wings replacing the cape as they glided back to the solid ground. His mask stayed in his grip until they landed again. It took him a moment to realize how cold it was when Jigglypuff let go of him. He greatly missed her warmth. His opened once they fully separated. Jigglypuff gazed at him in wonder and from admiration.

"Wow, you really are adorable. You're perfect."

Meta Knight blushed. "No, I am not."

Jigglypuff rested on his shoulder, admiring him. "Yes you are. I never knew before how cute you really were."

He realized that during the land, his armour must have fallen off onto the ground. His fears were confirmed a moment later. Before he could reach for his cape, Jigglypuff stopped him.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of Meta Knight," Jigglypuff said. "We're together. Alone."

"Jigglypuff, I am cold," he protested, shivering. She smiled, hugging him gently.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I shouldn't have done that."

He put back on his shoulder pads and the cape. He felt more comfortable with them back on. He wrapped his cape around her, his body heat warming up them both. "Why are you sorry Jigglypuff? You did nothing wrong."

She leaned closer to his face and kissed him again.

"I love you_,"_ Jigglypuff said. "Meta Knight, you mean so much to me."

"I love you too," Meta Knight replied, returning the kiss.

He reached into his cape and put back on his gloves and mask. He felt much safer with all his armour on again. Meta Knight held her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Do not worry Jigglypuff. We should let the others know we are all right."

"Okay," she said.

"Jigglypuff," Meta Knight whispered. "Thank you for the 'walk.' I really enjoyed it."

She blushed. "You're welcome. I wish we could do that again sometime. When this battle is over that is."

"I promise to live the rest of my life with you. You are the most important one in my heart," Meta Knight vowed, hugging her gently. "Shall we, my love?"

Her blush deepened again. "Yes, Meta Knight. Let's go."


	66. Episode Fifty Three

Disclaimer: I do not own Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.

* * *

**Chapter Sixty Six**

**Episode Fifty Three**

_Broken and Shattered_

Jigglypuff gazed out the frosted window, pressing her cheek against the cold glass. The other Smashers were awake by now but she wanted to be alone with her own thoughts. Jigglypuff's mind was rapidly reflecting on past events, especially last night. The same time she and Meta Knight kissed for the first time. The last moment they would have had to be alone together, away from the ominous reality of their situation.

She could hear the clatter of dishes from the next room. _"Breakfast time, I guess. I must have been here longer than I thought."_ Strangely, she felt no desire to eat or drink. What was wrong with her? Usually she was always hungry. Not anymore.

Jigglypuff pressed against her stomach as butterflies swarmed it once again. Maybe she should get something to eat. Everyone would worry about her anyway if she didn't. Especially when they were about to plan an attack on Subspace.

The attack...What if they didn't live?

_"Don't think about it,"_ Jigglypuff whispered to herself. _"Everything will be fine. We will succeed and eventually I'll spend a future with Meta Knight. We'll always be together."_

She reached for the doorknob to enter the makeshift cafeteria when she saw her reflection in the window, this time more clear. Jigglypuff's eyes widened when she saw. Her reflection...her mind wouldn't stop telling her something wasn't right. This was not the same face she last saw the day previously.

Her eyes were similar to Meta Knight's, an oval shape. Her eye colour still remained the same but it still bothered her. Was she daydreaming again?

She closed her eyes for a moment and she reopened them, hoping to see her normal appearance again. The same blue oval eyes stared back at her. Jigglypuff's hand flew to her heart, her breathing coming faster than ever before.

_"What happened to me?"_

"Jigglypuff, what is the matter?"

She froze up immediately at the familiar voice. "N-Nothing. I'm fine."

Meta Knight put a hand on her shoulder. "You should be eating breakfast. The others will be worried about you."

"I-I already ate," Jigglypuff fibbed, about to walk away but his grip was too strong.

"You did not. Something is wrong."

Jigglypuff trembled. "Y-You wouldn't believe me...You wouldn't want to know." Meta Knight turned her around to face him, only to see her eyes were filled with tears.

To be exact, her oval shaped tear filled eyes.

Meta Knight's eyes widened, his arm dropping back to his side from shock. Jigglypuff wiped away the tears with her shawl, hating being weak in front of him. She did not expect his reaction though. For the first time, she noticed he was speechless. It bothered her somewhat to see his sudden distress, though somewhat concealed by the mask.

"I-Is it really bad Meta Knight? What's happening to me?" Jigglypuff said, new tears pouring down her face. His hand immediately wiped them away.

"It is my fault Jigglypuff," he whispered. "I thought it would have been all right but...I was wrong. Have you not realized what I done to you? I turned you into a monster. That moment when everything was working out, when we were happiest and most content, it all was in vain."

She gasped softly. "Y-You did that...to me...when we were..?"

"Do you not remember what happened last night...when we went to the bedroom?" Meta Knight asked, eyes a pale shade of grey and purple.

Jigglypuff blushed despite her worry. "Y-Yes. I can't believe it though. I thought it would have worked out."

Meta Knight sighed, trying to push back his own tears. "I am a monster Jigglypuff. I should have known better." His breathing came in gasps, startling Jigglypuff.

"I don't care Meta Knight. It doesn't matter to me that you created as a demon. I know who you are deep down inside. You proved that to me yourself that you care and I feel exactly the same way. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Nothing to be ashamed of?" He asked, fists tightening. "I do not have a reason why I should not be. Everything about my existence disgusts me. My very origins, my past and even my body."

"I don't see anything wrong with your body at all. I can't understand why you'd be so ashamed of yourself! I saw your body before without the armour a couple times now."

"Surely, you saw my scars," Meta Knight replied, his shoulders still tense. "A reminder of my past and another mark of shame."

"But...I never thought of you any differently. If anything, they show that you're a survivor, that you became stronger," Jigglypuff retaliated.

Meta Knight looked down at the ground. "Do you believe after what I have done to you last night, that I would ever forgive myself? I cannot and never will."

"I was surprised about my eyes at first but when I truly think about it, it doesn't matter. I haven't changed inside. I'm still who I am and I know you are too." Jigglypuff slowly reaching for his hand. She quickly withdrew when Meta Knight pulled away gently. "Did I do something wrong?" Jigglypuff asked, eyes wide with fear and worry.

"Perhaps...it would be best if we avoided each other for now," Meta Knight forced out after what seemed an hour. "You should be grateful to only have your eyes changed. If we remain this close, I could harm you even more. You do not want that and neither do I. For the sake of both of us, I believe we should stay away from each other."

Jigglypuff stood there, stunned in shock. Was Meta Knight rejecting her? "W-What did I do?! How do you expect me to stay away from you if you're the one I love the most? I love you more than anything in the whole world!"

"I love you too Jigglypuff, but I have to let go for the moment. Nothing lasts forever and only now have I truly realized that."

"Are you...are you saying you don't want me anymore? That we should truly part ways for the time being?"

Meta Knight's eyes flashed grey. "Yes."

Jigglypuff buried her face in her shawl. "I-I knew it! Y-You don't want to be with me! I b-believe in y-you and am not afraid. I-I don't care if y-you're a monster or if my eyes are different. I-It can still work out! Please...trust me."

"No, I do not trust you on that. We are no longer part of each other's lives as of now. Sometimes...I wish I never existed," he said, turning away and leaving the hallway, eyes completely dark grey. Jigglypuff collapsed on the floor with an aching heart.

"Meta Knight..."

Her body lay on the floor, shaking with remorse and hurt from her confrontation with Meta Knight. She had no desire to stand again. Her hope that would guide her and give her a reason to fight against Subspace was no longer...like her heart.

It continuously ached with the hurt of being rejected by the one she loved...the same one who kissed her and made her feel happy inside. Her cheek was pressed tightly against the cold, hard floor. Jigglypuff wanted to become part of it, not wanting to live on any longer. She couldn't live without him. He was her life.

And he took it away and left her broken on the ground behind him.

* * *

"Where exactly are we going?"

"To find the Smashers of course!"

"Where exactly are they?"

"How am I supposed to know? You are the one who decided to be the pilot."

While Bowser and Wolf argued back and forth, Wario and Dedede were on the couch eating popcorn and watching television. None of them wanted to obey Ganondorf anymore. Not even Wario and Dedede felt it was right to take away Jigglypuff. There had to something they could do to help out the Smashers.

"Don't you find it annoying that we have to serve Ganondorf when we don't like been ordered around?" Bowser spoke up.

"I know exactly what you're talking about," Wolf said, groaning. "I can't stand that guy. He doesn't let us have any breaks these days. He keeps making us work all the time. I don't exactly enjoy being a slave to that creep."

"We're on break right now!" Dedede protested.

"That is because we are not obeying him at the moment, right?" Bowser said, glancing at the others who nodded in agreement.

"He has no idea what we are planning," Wolf said, grinning. "When he finds out, his reaction will be priceless. That creep won't know what hit him."

"Who's the creep?" came a menacing voice. Wolf gulped, looking behind him.

"No one," he said, avoiding Ganondorf's gaze.

Ganondorf narrowed his eyes at the villains. "Are you by any chance, taking a break?"

Wario and Dedede scrambled for the remote at that question. Wolf chuckled nervously.

"Of course not. We're trying to find the Smasher's Resistance Base," he replied. In the background, Wario and Dedede knocked down the couch and after a few long seconds, they both reached for the remote.

"Give it to me! I found it first!" Wario said.

"Ya let go this instant. I wanna turn off the TV!"

The screen suddenly went black. Both villains looked up fearfully at the disapproving expression on Ganondorf's face. He reached for the power cord and pulled it out from the sockets and putting it in his cape.

"I would have expected better from the two of you," Ganondorf said. "Until then, there will be no more television. Now I advise you do your job if you hope to live."

As the door closed, all four remaining villains exchanged nervous glances.

"What is that guy planning anyway?" Wario asked. "He should be helping with the plan. Wasn't it his idea in the first place?"

"I reckon he's using us," Dedede said.

"What should we do about it?" Wario asked, slumping down in the couch. "If we don't do our job and capture Jigglypuff, we're done for!"

"I have an idea," Wolf said, grinning. "But we cannot let Ganondorf know of this at the moment. He would know we're betraying him."

"What's your plan?" Bowser asked, leaning forward.

"Listen carefully..."

* * *

"Jigglypuff, what's the matter? You haven't eaten all day," Zelda asked, motioning to her bowl of untouched soup. Jigglypuff sighed and buried her face in her shawl.

"Something's wrong with her. Seriously wrong," Ike said. "I've never seen her so depressed."

"I'm fine," she said, her voice muffled by the shawl.

"Jigglypuff, you would not be starving yourself if you were all right," Marth spoke up. "Did something happen earlier? You were fine yesterday."

"Nothing really...I guess it's the weather," Jigglypuff said, and to her surprise, she giggled. Everyone did not expect that reaction and did not know what to say. "I'll see you later. I should get some sleep." She pushed in her chair and hurried upstairs to her bedroom. Jigglypuff expected Meta Knight's bed to be vacant, the blankets literally untouched.

Then it hit her. Meta Knight wasn't just avoiding her. Meta Knight was _gone._ Gone from the Resistance Base. Maybe from existence.

_"No, I do not trust you on that. We are no longer part of each other's lives as of now. Sometimes...I wish I never existed."_

Jigglypuff felt too numb from shock for her to feel sad about his departure anymore. Yet she felt like a part of her was torn out from her heart.

Did it matter? Maybe he wasn't meant for her anyway. After all, he told her she wasn't a part of his life anymore. He didn't want her.

_"I love you too Jigglypuff, but I have to let go for the moment. Nothing lasts forever and only now have I truly realized that."_

_"Are you...are you saying you don't want me anymore? That we should truly part ways for the time being?"_

_Meta Knight's eyes flashed grey. "Yes."_

Jigglypuff buried her face in the pillow, crying herself to sleep at the memory. She could faintly hear her own scream of pain and sorrow before she lost consciousness.

"We found the Resistance Base. It is close by. It won't take us long to get there," Wolf said.

"That is good to hear," Bowser said. "Very soon, we can start our rebellion and defy Ganondorf. You said it wasn't Jigglypuff we were going to capture?"

"That's right," Wolf said. "I said I had someone else in mind. Someone who looks very similar to her. It won't be that hard. So far, everything is going according to plan."


	67. Episode Fifty Four

_I actually finished ANOTHER chapter this weekend. Thank you for all the wonderful feedback! It helped inspire me!_

_THIS STORY IS AT 400 REVIEWS! THANKS SO MUCH TO MY AWESOME READERS!_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

* * *

**Chapter Sixty Seven**

**Episode Fifty Four**

_Takeoff of the Halberd_

The Halberd quickly was making progress towards the Smasher's Resistance Base. No one told Ganondorf they had found their destination. They needed utmost secrecy for the time being if they were to succeed in their new plan.

It was the middle of the night; the perfect time to commence the first step of their plan when everyone was asleep. The Halberd came to a gradual halt beside the Resistance Base. Quietly they entered the base after reviewing their plan.

The villains did not expect finding the bedrooms to be difficult at first but they soon realized how easy it was to get lost.

"Where are we supposed to go?" Wario asked.

"I found a map. You all may want to take a look at this," Bowser said. The villains hovered over his shoulder.

"That's exactly what we need. We should find that pink puff before anyone notices," Wolf said.

"But he won't be in danger right?" Wario asked.

Wolf shook his head. "No, he will be fine. We need the pink puff to help us. I'm sure it would be a problem. Ganondorf won't hurt him if we can help it. He should be in the first room to the left upstairs. Be careful not to get caught." Wario and Bowser nodded.

--

Jigglypuff kept tossing and turning in her sleep. She still was deeply hurt and bothered by the absence of Meta Knight. His still-vacant bed confirmed the fact that he most likely would never return but why had he left her broken as she was now? She told him she cared and showed it to him. Jigglypuff didn't care if their private moment the day before caused her to become a demon. She wanted Meta Knight more than anything. Why did he have to go?

"_Why did you leave me?" Jigglypuff asked Meta Knight who stood with his back turned to her towards the full moon._

"_This will not work out any longer. I am a monster. I destroyed you Jigglypuff. Never will I forgive myself for my selfish actions. Look at what is has done to you," he said, his words trembling._

"_It will work out! Trust me! I don't care about becoming a demon. I'll do anything to be with you forever," Jigglypuff shouted._

_Meta Knight took a few steps forward. "I must leave Jigglypuff. I refuse to harm you anymore. You don't need me in your life anymore."_

"_I can't live without you! You are part of me!" Jigglypuff protested. "Please don't go."_

_He sighed, turning to face her, gently caressing her forehead with his hand before pulling away again. "Do not cry. I am not worth the tears. You have other people who care about you."_

"_Meta Knight! Don't leave me!"_

_No response. His cape fluttered behind him as he vanished into the darkness._

"_META KNIGHT!"_

Jigglypuff screamed from the agonizing pain of her dream as she woke up in a cold sweat. She couldn't stop screaming for the longest time. She tried muffling a lot of it out with her pillow so she wouldn't wake up anyone. The fabric became wet with her endless tears. Jigglypuff thought she had no tears left within her but they kept coming regardless.

Heartbreak teared at her constantly. Her vocals were sore but her screams wouldn't stop.

"Meta Knight!" was all she could hear clearly in her endless screams of pain and agony.

Wario and Bowser were about to open the door when they heard Jigglypuff screaming.

"What was that?" Wario asked.

Bowser shrugged, though he was nervous as well. "I have no idea. We have to get that pink marshmallow quickly before anyone wakes up. Hurry, we need to get out of here as soon as possible."

Wario opened the door, Bowser carefully entering the room. He spotted his target. He soundlessly took hold of said pink marshmallow and quietly left the room without making a disturbance.

As they made it downstairs, the alarms blared through the entire Resistance Base. The villains hurried their pace and to their dismay, the 'pink puff' awakening from his sleep.

"What is the meaning of this?"

The villains turned to see the Smashers glaring daggers at them. They exchanged nervous glances. "We weren't going to hurt him!" Wario protested.

"Why would you do such a thing? What did Ganondorf tell you to do this time?"

"We're rebelling against Ganondorf," Bowser said, silencing the angry Smashers. "They want us to capture Jigglypuff but we refuse to go that far. We believe Ganondorf's loyalty is elsewhere. With Tabuu perhaps."

"Tabuu? Is that the leader of Subspace?" Jigglypuff asked. "Is that who we are going to fight?"

"You're planning on invading Subspace?" Wolf asked them. "If that is the case, you are allowed aboard the Halberd. Ganondorf is not here at the moment. He had something he had to attend to with Tabuu. We don't know what he is planning."

"We're going," Ike said. "We need to finish this once and for all."

"It's settled then. You all my follow us," Wolf replied. "And release Kirby while you're at it Bowser. He's coming along with us anyway."

Bowser nodded, letting him go. "Sorry about that."

"It's all right. As long as you truly mean that. Make sure it doesn't happen again," Jigglypuff said, eyes narrowed.

"Has anyone seen Meta Knight?" Marth spoke up. Jigglypuff stiffened up.

"No, he's been since yesterday," Ike said. "That's very unusual. I wonder where he went."

"Should we look for him?" Link asked. "Leaving him behind is out of the question."

"We've already checked everywhere," Zelda replied, sighing. "As far as we know he's gone."

Many gasped at the response. "Gone?" Marth asked in astoundment. "What do you mean he's gone?"

Jigglypuff turned away so no one could see her surfacing tears. If anyone knew what had happened, they would freak out. She knew she had to keep the situation a secret. It was her fault Meta Knight left the Smashers never to be seen again. To be forgotten and erased from existence was his wish, she recalled with a sharp pain in her heart.

"If he's gone, we can't do anything about it," Wolf spoke up. "We should depart for Subspace now. As Ike said, we need to finish this once and for all. Let's work together."

It was like the villains had undergone a transformation. Wolf actually wanted them to _work together._

Jigglypuff tried not to remember that the Halberd was Meta Knight's ship. She couldn't accept that he would leave her behind for the rest of her life and for the first time, she wanted to forget about him. Meta Knight was out of her life now. And the Smashers had a mission to complete. She couldn't ponder about _him_. It would only be a waste of her time.

She rested against the corner, wanting to be all alone. Her heart was broken in two. She no longer desired company and affection. Jigglypuff was an empty shell of darkness, loneliness and despair.

"Hey Jiggly, are you all right?" Peach asked. Jigglypuff gasped softly until she recognized who was speaking. She slowly nodded, burying her face in her shawl.

"I'm fine," Jigglypuff said, the tears trickling down her cheeks. "I just need to rest for a while. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"I recall that," Zelda said. "I heard you screaming. So did Kirby." She motioned to the worried puffball. Jigglypuff remembered their room had been next to hers.

"I promise it won't happen again," Jigglypuff whispered, wiping away another waterfall of tears.

"Don't be sorry. You couldn't help it," Peach replied with understanding.

"I...suppose." Jigglypuff knew fully she was screaming when she had awoken but didn't stop until a few minutes afterwards. She normally would have felt embarrassed but with a hole ripped through her heart, she didn't care. She dried her face completely before showing her face once again. Many jaws dropped much to her surprise.

"Jigglypuff, what happened to your eyes?" Peach asked.

Jigglypuff gasped, turning away. "It's nothing."

"They're more of an oval shape. They used to be round," Zelda stated, tone serious. "They kind of look like...Meta Knight's eyes."

Jigglypuff stiffened up so tightly, she couldn't move. "It has nothing to do with him."

"How long have your eyes been like that Jigglypuff?" Link spoke up.

"A little over a day, I think," Jigglypuff replied nervously.

"Now that I think about it, wasn't that the same time Meta Knight disappeared?" Ike cut in. The whole room went silent. Jigglypuff felt her eyes burn again.

"Don't say his name. Please don't," Jigglypuff hissed at him.

"You're angry with him. Why?"

"I'm not angry at him at all. I'm just...confused."

Marth thought for a moment. "How close were you two? I thought you liked being around him. You used to be together all the time. Did you..._like_ him?"

"What? No!" Jigglypuff denied, gasping but flushing red at the same time. "We were only friends! Why would you say that?"

"You...seemed really close," Marth replied.

"We were not! Okay?" she snapped before turning over on her side, burying herself in the warmth of her shawl.

"She denies it," Ike said, seriously. "but I know she loved him. And she's devastated he left. I have a feeling she knows something that we don't in regards to the situation."

"Jigglypuff loved Meta Knight?" Peach asked, a dreamy stare in her eyes, being her usual romance obsessed self.

"I think so. She wanted to be with him all the time. And if she didn't, she wouldn't be that upset. Did you hear her screaming in her sleep last night? This must really be bothering her," Link replied.

"I wonder where he is now," Zelda thought aloud.

Jigglypuff tightly clutched at her shawl. _"Though he says he's no longer a part of my life, I still love him. Please be alive Meta Knight. And I'm sorry..."_

"We're almost there," Wolf said to the Smashers. "We should be in Subspace in a couple of hours. Make sure you're ready by then. Tabuu won't be easy to defeat. Neither will Ganondorf."

Jigglypuff had once visioned Meta Knight being at her side during the battle but now she was alone. She thought of him as a hero with his strength and bravery but without that beside her, Jigglypuff had no idea how she would survive.

"_Maybe I won't. If I don't, it won't matter. My life means nothing anymore."_

--

"What do you intend to do with the Smashers?" Ganondorf spoke up, breaking the silence. "They should be on their way according to plan. The others will have captured Jigglypuff by now. Surely you have some ideas."

"Quite a few. But let us be patient. It won't be long now. I already have it all planned out Ganondorf. The Pure One in particular. I have what she desires and that is all I need to succeed in her demise. It will be as simple as that. The Smashers should be no match for my Army."

"You have what the Pure One wants? That is perfect," Ganondorf said. "Very soon, I will succeed in my plan. Very soon."

"Your plan? This was also my idea," Tabuu pointed out.

Ganondorf nodded though secretly, he knew in the end, he would be the one to emerge victorious. He knew he was the Great King of Evil. If anyone could conquer the world and universe, he could.

"Are you planning to ambush them on their way here?" Ganondorf said.

"No. Not until they get here. We shall wait for them to let their guard down first," Tabuu replied. "I said before I had this whole plot figured out. Since the beginning I had planned their demise, especially the Pure One. I had tried to eliminate her before the tournament in the past, but I admit, her trainer did get on my nerves. She will find out in time that she will die by the hands of her trainer's killer. That victor of that very deed was myself. And in due time, she will die in a more pitiful way imaginable."

Everything was going according to plan.


	68. Episode Fifty Five, Part 1

_I do not own SSBB or its characters. They belong to their respective owners._

* * *

**Chapter Sixty Eight**

**Episode Fifty Five, Part 1**

_Torn Apart_

Jigglypuff at first pretended to be asleep so no one would further interrogate her about how close her relationship was with Meta Knight but eventually she did drift off into another sad dream. The Smashers stayed close together, occasionally glancing towards her with concern. Zelda wrapped a blanket around Jigglypuff's trembling form before sitting down with the others in silence.

No one had any words left to exchange. The moment was approaching closer with every second. Subspace would soon be in sight and the fate of the universe depended on their success in defeating Tabuu. After being together for so long, for the first time they truly appreciated one another, realizing they could die in the upcoming battle.

But to face the final battle with the absence of a companion? The Smashers were each worried about Meta Knight but not to the extent Jigglypuff felt.

"She seems stressed out. Should we wake her up?" Peach asked with a worried look on her face.

"We should let her sleep. We have a long battle ahead of us. She needs to be at her best condition," Ike replied.

"I hope so."

"_Don't leave me!" I called out._

_My surroundings were a blur as I struggled to keep up with my vanishing lover. We couldn't be separated. Never. We were destined to each other for life._

"_I have no other choice," he replied. "You need to live your own life, Not become a part of mine. If I remain this close to you, it will end badly."_

"_You don't know what you're saying! I meant what I said about wanting to stay with you forever. I love you."_

_His body gave a slight tremble. "Not only am I a monster but a murderer."_

"_What do you mean by that? You can't be serious! You will not hurt me," I said, voice shaking. "You aren't a monster."_

"_I've been more of a monster to you than anyone else. They have not taken your life," he replied, eyes a dark shade of grey. I reached out to touch his shoulder._

"_You have not either," I managed to say calmly this time and with a smile. "I trust you. You need to believe in yourself. If you can't, try for both our sake."_

_Meta Knight looked down. "I have but one choice but you make it so much harder. You need a life without me but you refuse to let go. It will hurt you even more when you fall."_

_I seized him by both his shoulders. "Then I will make it more difficult. I don't want you to leave me. We're staying together. We belong together."_

_He trembled in my grasp. "Leave me alone...I cannot be with you. If you value your life, let go."_

"_If I can't be with you, my life means nothing!" I argued, glaring. "When you distance yourself from me, you hurt me inside. You might as well be destroying my heart."_

"_So be it. If your heart is hurting simply because you cannot let go, it is not my problem."_

"_M-Meta Knight...how could you?"_

_No response._

_Nothing._

_She was alone._

"Jigglypuff, wake up!"

She gasped, startled by the Smashers' shocked expressions. "What happened? Is anyone hurt!"

"No, you were screaming in your sleep. We were so worried! Are you all right?" Peach asked.

Jigglypuff nodded. "I'm fine. It was only a bad dream. Please don't worry about me anymore. I said I was fine."

"We know what's going on," Wolf said to her. "It's obvious by now what is bothering you."

"Is it...Meta Knight?" Zelda asked.

Jigglypuff's eyes widened as a blush spread across her face. Why, when she was so depressed, still blushing? It didn't make sense. The damage was done. The Smashers saw her flushed face, taking it as a yes to their suspicions.

"You did love him," Marth said. "That would explain why his sudden disappearance has upset you so much."

Jigglypuff's cheeks were a bright shade of scarlet. "That's not true. We were only friends! How hard it that for you to understand? Don't you get it by now?"

"If that was not true, you wouldn't have reacted like that," Ike pointed out. "Marth is right. You loved him."

Jigglypuff looked down with crossed arms, silently fuming. "Even so, it has nothing to do with him disappearing. He didn't leave me because of that."

"We never said he left due to the fact of falling in love. Did something happen we're not aware of?"

Jigglypuff's eyes widened. "That's none of your business! It's...personal."

No one else spoke. What was there to say? Jigglypuff refused to say more on the topic and isolated herself completely from the presence of the others.

_I left her alone and heartbroken. What other choice did I have? I couldn't be close to her; especially with the current situation._

_I cannot live without her but I have no choice but to let go. It is both a struggle and pain to be separated from her and how easy it was lie to free myself from the situation. By nature, I am an honest creature but at the time I could not tell her the agonizing truth._

_To hide the truth and protect her was done simply by instinct. I never wanted Jigglypuff to be worried but my departure created the opposite effect. Every tine I manage to sleep, I can see her toss and turn in heartbreak, screaming constantly from sorrow. If I was unable to forgive myself for wanting her so badly that night we confessed our love, never could I do so now._

_She continuously cried for me, each sob a stab in my heart. I was not at her side to wipe away her tears or to say everything would be all right, and even to kiss her._

_Had I not realized the errors in my ways? Either I stay away from Jigglypuff, securing her a future or to remain at her side and take away her life. My heart ached at my only two options. Both would cause a degree of pain on the two of us but which decision is right?_

_It troubled my mind all the time. I want her more than anything and she needs me. She would die to stay with me._

_I suppose that leaves me with the right choice does it not?_

_I needed to find her immediately. However, I knew I would have a lot of explaining to do but at the moment, that is not a concern._

"I see you are still living in _Dream_land. What a pity," came an ominous voice.

"Who are you? Show yourself!"

"You will find out in due time, Meta Knight," the voice replied. "Do you know where we are?"

"Subspace."

"Then does that answer your question?"

"You are...Tabuu?" Meta Knight asked.

"That is correct; the very same one who possessed you and Jigglypuff. Mind you, she was difficult to control but it was not a problem. I still succeeded nevertheless."

"I should have known it was you," Meta Knight said, his fists tightening in anger.

"It was my intention to bond you and Jigglypuff together as a couple from the start. I know the truth about you Meta Knight about your _unfortunate _curse as a demon. Why else would I have taken it upon myself to be the matchmaker?"

"I...cannot believe that," Meta Knight replied, voice shaking. "How did you know of my curse?"

"It was obvious by your sudden separation from Jigglypuff. I knew all this time that would happen. That was why I planned on being the matchmaker. I have to admit, it is an entertaining pastime."

Meta Knight's eyes glowed red. "All this time you planned to tear us apart. How could you do something so horrible? From the start you used my emotions to your advantage."

Tabuu chuckled. "Quite easily..."

"What is so funny?" Meta Knight asked, threateningly.

"Being such a strong warrior, I would have expected a more intimidating face."

Meta Knight gasped, realizing his mask was off. Tabuu chuckled again at his shock. His eyes flashed a darker shade of red. To confirm the absence of the metal mask, he reached up to his cheek but found his arm restricted to the ground. Tabuu laughed.

"You aren't going anywhere anytime soon Meta Knight. As you can see, you are at my mercy as my prisoner. I wouldn't count on the Smashers rescuing you. After abandoning them, why would they care about you anymore? To abandon those who care is exactly what a monster would do."

Meta Knight struggled against the bonds that restricted his movements. "I do not want to be a monster..."

"Try to escape all you want. It's not going to work," Tabuu said. Meta Knight could have sworn he was smirking.

After a couple more protests, he lay on the ground, cheek pressed on the cold floor. His heart pounded heavily at the realization he truly was trapped. He could not reach Galaxia. Both his arms and feet were tightened too much to the ground for him to defend himself. Tabuu could kill him if he wanted and there was nothing he could do about it.

"_Everyone, I am so sorry I left you...I cannot describe how sorry I am to cause you so much worry. Do not worry about me any longer. You need to worry about yourselves now. For my sake, please defeat Tabuu."_

"Jigglypuff, what's wrong?"

"I heard...a voice," she said, closing her eyes.

"A voice?" Zelda asked.

Jigglypuff quickly motioned for them to be quiet and listened again. She heard it again, this time, more clearly. Jigglypuff could understand every word.

"_For my sake, please defeat Tabuu."_

"It can't be...! Meta Knight?" Jigglypuff said, looking around in random directions, expecting him to be standing beside her. "Meta Knight, where are you?"

"Is she all right?" Ike asked.

Link shrugged. "I don't know."

"Meta Knight, where are you?" Jigglypuff whispered.

"_You can hear my voice?" _she heard in reply.

"Yes," Jigglypuff said, eyes wide. "What happened to you? Where are you?"

"_Tabuu has me held captive. I am unable to escape," _Meta Knight replied. She could hear sadness in his tone. _"Where are you at the moment?"_

"In the main hallway. We arrived a few minutes ago. Does Tabuu know we're here?" The Smashers continued to exchange nervous and uncertain glances. To them, Jigglypuff might as well have been talking to herself.

"_He expects your arrival. He doesn't know you are here yet. Please be careful. I cannot be there to protect you. I'm sorry."_

"No, don't be...It's okay. I understand. We'll find you, I promise. Do you know where you are?" Jigglypuff asked, fiddling constantly with her shawl.

"_I do not know. What I do know is the fact I am trapped in this...prison cell, unable to move. Tabuu was clever with his plan, though I hate to admit it. Do not worry about me at the moment. Once you defeat Tabuu, do not let me cross your mind."_

Jigglypuff's jaw dropped. "Excuse me? You disappear without a reason and you expect me to _forget _you again after you leave me hurting afterwards? I can't go through this again. Not after I've been able to talk to you again!"

She could hear him sigh. _"You do not have any intention of listening to me do you?"_

"Nope," she said, lips pressed tight together. "Not until this ordeal is over. You need to listen to us at the moment. We're coming for you and that's final. The others are here. We're fighting Tabuu together and I mean it."

"_There is no point of trying to change your mind is there?"_

"Meta Knight, trust me. Just this once. After this is over, you can forget about me again all right?"

"Jigglypuff, over here! Someone's coming!"

Jigglypuff nodded, pupils microscopic, following behind the other Smashers in pursuit. "What's happening? Is someone following us?"

Ike thought for a moment. "We suspect so. Be careful and try not to make a sound."

Jigglypuff felt her hands shake. "A-All right," she whispered. She could no longer hear Meta Knight's voice in her mind. Was his voice a mere illusion? Was her mind playing tricks on her?

As they proceeded further into the hallway, their surroundings became darker and darker. The Smashers froze in place when they could see no longer of their bearings. Ike was the first to stop running causing quite a few others to bump into him and each other.

"Ike, what was that for?"

"Something's not right about this place."

"What are you talking about? I don't see anything wrong with it."

"That's the point. You don't _see_ anything do you?"

"Um...no."

It wasn't long before others cut in.

"How long are we going to be stuck here?"

"Can't we just turn back?"

"I don't know which way we came! How am I supposed to know that?"

"I'm hungry!"

"No one cares about that. Someone stepped _on my foot_ and it _hurt!_"

"QUIET!" Jigglypuff hissed. Once the Smashers settled down, she calmly asked, "So no one knows which way we came? Is that it?"

"We know which way we came, we just can't find it!"

"That _is_ a good point."

"Does anyone have a sudden feeling something bad is going to happen?"

Jigglypuff opened her mouth to answer when she felt the floor disappear around her. Instead of a response, a scream replaced it as she tried to hold on for her life. "Somebody help me!"

No response. Was she alone? What happened to the others?

Jigglypuff clung to the edges of the remaining ground, eyes closed tightly. "I'm not going to make it. I can't hold on any longer," she thought.

_"Let go," _she could hear faintly in the distance.

"Let...go?" Jigglypuff glanced downwards uncertainly at the abyss below. "I don't know what's down there! Do you expect me to-"

_"Let go. Trust me,"_

Jigglypuff's body trembled violently. "I-I can't! The Smashers will be worried about me. I can't be separated from them."

_"You have already been separated. Trust me, please Jigglypuff..."_

Jigglypuff nodded, letting one hand let go of the edge and after a moment of hesitation, the other soon followed the actions of the first. Her eyes burned from fresh tears threatening to surface. She lost track of time completely as her body continued to descend further into nothingness.

_"Jigglypuff, are you all right?"_

She opened her eyes, surprised but grateful to see the ground again. Even the dim light reassured her somewhat. "I'm...fine. Just lost."

_"You truly mean that you are fine? Even after you were almost caught by Tabuu himself. You were fortunate to have escaped in time. I cannot say the same for the other Smashers though."_

"Tabuu almost caught us!" Jigglypuff whispered in astonishment. "That means the others are...oh no! They must have been captured!"

_"Do not blame yourself. I cannot say for certain of their whereabouts. Please be more careful not to cross Tabuu's path. At least not yet."_

Jigglypuff suddenly recognized the voice. "You're Meta Knight, aren't you? Are you the one who's speaking to me?"

_"Yes."_

Her jaw dropped. "No...way! How is it that I can hear your voice? I don't understand."

_"I am unsure myself. But as long as I can speak to you again, I am happy. I...missed talking to you," _Meta Knight replied. _"It has pained me to avoid you and I now regret that decision. I was wrong and I apologize for hurting you."_

"Please don't worry about that," Jigglypuff said, looking down at the ground. "I understand your reasons. You can explain it further once I find you."

"_That is what Tabuu wants. You need to leave me behind or he will capture you too. I...was careless. Find the other Smashers and once you are reunited, defeat Tabuu. If you are still insistent on being with me, I have no objections. I promise we can be together."_

"Really? This time you meant that?"

"_I have my reasons for leaving. I can't explain them now. Once we see each other again, face to face. Tabuu is keeping close watch on me now as we speak. He expects you to find me. For both of our sake, do not give him what he wants."_

"All right, but where do you want me to go? How am I supposed to find the others?" Jigglypuff asked. It seemed like an hour before Meta Knight responded.

"_I do not know where they are. I apologize for being of no use. I know it is tormenting you. I can only advise that you avoid that hallway from now on. Tabuu has that place under heavy surveillance."_

"Okay, I'll try..." Jigglypuff heard a parade of footsteps heading in her direction. On instinct she ran in the opposite direction and went to the nearest door she could find, hurrying inside before she was caught. She sighed with relief, sinking down to the ground to sit down for a moment. For now, she was safe.

Once she completely recovered from her sudden fright, she looked around to see where she was. From her observations, it had to be some sort of castle in a seemingly endless hallway.

Jigglypuff immediately knew in her conscious she had to leave. She turned around and reached for the doorknob but instead hitting the hard wall. She gasped, glancing in horror of where the door used to be. What happened to it? Breath coming in fast gulps, she inched against the wall, back fully pressed against it.

"I-I'm trapped," she whispered, shaking all over. "How do I get out of here?" Above, the ceiling cracked slowly, threatening to collapse at any moment. Jigglypuff gulped, backing away from the wall. The bricks crumbled down, surrounding her in a heap of rubble. Jigglypuff coughed violently, hardly able to breathe with the dust travelling down her throat.

In a panic, she forced her way through the pile of broken shards of brick and metal, in the process cutting her hands. Jigglypuff paid no attention to the bleeding but kept hurrying down the hallway trying to find another escape. Unbeknownst to her, she was only heading in, literally, a circle with no way to exiting the area.

"What if I can't get out?" She thought, sinking down on the ground. "What if I get caught...?" Jigglypuff wiped her eyes of the few tears that rolled down her cheek. When she opened her eyes again, a dark shadow completely covered her body.

"It's over...for me." With a final sob, Jigglypuff waited for the worst to come.


	69. Episode Fifty Five, Part 2

_I didn't have time to type this at home so I spent all week at school working on this. I think this turned out pretty well and hopefully will be enjoyable. A warning though; this chapter is a little dark._

_Disclaimer - I own nothing related to SSBB._

* * *

**Chapter Sixty Nine**

**Episode Fifty Five, Part 2**

_The Demon's Curse_

Attempt after attempt was futile. Outright useless.

Meta Knight once again struggled against the restraining bonds, eventually causing his wrists to bleed. He didn't care though. The fact Jigglypuff was not responding worried him more than anything.

Tabuu was fortunately absent from the room. Meta Knight kept trying to break free without being caught by the leader of Subspace while he had the chance.

Being unmasked was no longer a concern for him; not with Jigglypuff's life on the line. He breathed in deeply, cheek resting against the frozen, stone floor. He detested feeling weak with a passion. Jigglypuff could be dying while he lay there, unable to escape his own demise.

_"Jigglypuff, answer me,"_ he spoke once more. The silence in the room unnerved him completely. He gave one last pull against the handcuffs, resulting in the metal cutting into his skin. Meta Knight gasped from the pain, body exhausted after countless attempts to escape.

The door opened and by instinct, Meta Knight closed his eyes, _supposedly_ being unconscious. Tabuu briefly glanced in his direction. Believing the charade, he left the prison, leaving Meta Knight alone.

He carefully opened one eye to make sure he was truly alone before opening the other. Trying to escape again would be useless. What was he to do now?

He was helpless much to his dismay.

_"Jigglypuff, what happened to you?"_

He closed his eyes to let his mind wonder and explore his thoughts. Meta Knight's fists tightened at the memories with Jigglypuff, missing their serene moments together. He had regretted crossing the line but now he realized the ordeal was unnecessary. He could have stayed with the Smashers able to protect Jigglypuff and not trapped in a lone, prison cell.

_"I'm sorry," _came a quiet whisper.

Meta Knight's eyes widened. "W-Who's there?"

Silence was a response of its own. A chilly breeze swept across his face, followed up by another. He shivered as the cold draft blew across his back, his cape having been pushed aside when he had been brought in the cell.

He remembered the warmth of Jigglypuff's body missing it greatly. Where was she now? Was she still alive?

_"Yes she is," _he thought to himself. _"She's strong. I know she's still alive. When this is over, we'll be together forever...but when will this ever end?"_

A scream pierced through his reminiscent thoughts, startling him. He looked in every direction in a panic, expecting to see someone but he was still alone.

That was the same scream of pain when he had left her. That separation was for nothing. Or was that a memory of her grief? What if she was hurt now?

There was nothing he could do.

_"Jigglypuff, I am sorry I cannot protect you. Please forgive me. I am truly sorry."_

His eyes burned slightly but he forced the tears back. He couldn't risk breaking down, especially now. He didn't want to worry anymore. No matter the cost, he needed to escape and assist the others in fighting Tabuu.

As he pulled at his handcuffs again, the door opened. Meta Knight immediately froze in place, shutting his eyes as Tabuu entered the room.

"The plan is working as we hoped," he spoke. I am quite impressed."

"So am I," Ganondorf replied. "But as for the locations of the Pure One...?"

"That we do not know. However," he motioned to Meta Knight. "We captured him. "It was not too difficult, mind you. That demon was too caught up in his grief to put up a fight."

Ganondorf glanced at Meta Knight's _unconscious _body and smirked. "We did try possessing him before when there was no use of him in the first place. We used him as an experiment before. Would he be useful to us now?"

"The Pure One loves him. That is enough evidence," Tabuu replied. "Perhaps until the others arrive _trying_ to rescue him, we could use some entertainment."

Meta Knight's heart beat twice as fast. What were they planning to do to him?

"Torture?" Ganondorf asked.

"Of course."

_"I should have known," _Meta Knight thought to himself. He trembled a little but not enough to be noticed.

"We did intend to use Meta Knight and toss him away once we were through with him. He was the perfect victim," Ganondorf said, grinning. "We had needed a quiet victim so to say."

"That was why you needed my assistance," Tabuu agreed. "and my role as the matchmaker."

_"I already loved her before then. I was too nervous to admit it to myself."_

Ganondorf glanced again at Meta Knight. "Do you think he is awake listening to us?"

Tabuu chuckled. "Of course not. He wore himself out trying to escape. Now to add some fun to this game." He pressed the nearest button on his remote. The handcuff's lightened to a sky blue tint.

Meta Knight was shaking on the inside, his heart rate doubling again. He couldn't protest; otherwise, they would know he was awake all that time they were in the room.

"What do you have in mind for the Smashers? They should be here by now," Ganondorf said. Tabuu smiled.

"You will find out in time. Very soon, they will fall into our trap," he replied.

Meta Knight's heart rate accelerated. They knew the Smashers were here and there was no way of warning them of their danger. He already failed to protect Jigglypuff.

"What should we do with the blueberry?" Ganondorf asked. "Torture perhaps?"

"Why, of course but I get to do the honours."

Meta Knight remained completely still as the cell door slowly opened. This would end badly if they knew he heard every word they spoke.

Tabuu smiled, pushing a button on his remote. Meta Knight gasped as an electric current travelled through his body. Tabuu released the button. "Sleep well?"

Meta Knight, still gasping for breath, looked up at Tabuu with a hateful glare on his face.

"Do you hope to intimidate me with that vile face?" Tabuu asked, smiling for a second before it curved into a frown. "Though I admit, it is _too adorable._" He spat out the last two words in resentment and disgust. He held Meta Knight up by the handcuffs. Meta Knight tried to break away, causing part of the chain to swing back at his face, cutting one of his cheeks. He landed on his back seething in anger.

"Has confinement made you weak?" Tabuu asked, dominantly hovering over Meta Knight's body. "I expected you to try putting up a fight."

Meta Knight's eyes glowed red but he said nothing in response.

"Is that a defiance?" Tabuu asked, no longer in a good mood. "I told you to fight."

"No...I cannot," Meta Knight whispered.

Tabuu held the chains in hand and swiped it quickly across Meta Knight's face. He never let the fresh pain show through, even with his own blood trickling off his cheeks on the floor.

"Not so cute anymore, are you?"

Again, no response.

Meta Knight found himself in incapable of speech as the air stung his wounds across his whole face and wrists.

_"Meta Knight, I love you."_

He looked around him, startled. Was that...Jigglypuff's voice? He couldn't believe it. Was he dreaming again?

_"Jigglypuff?"_

"Have you come to your senses yet?" Tabuu asked. Meta Knight glanced in his direction, confused.

"I do not understand," he whispered, paying no attention to Tabuu whatsoever.

"Do we finally reach an agreement?" Tabuu asked.

Meta Knight looked up, surprised. What was Tabuu talking about? He couldn't tell the truth and risk another beating. He kept his composure. "I am afraid not." His heart skipped a beat, knowing this wouldn't end well.

Tabuu sighed. "Oh well, that's a shame. That would have made everything a lot easier."

"What are you talking about?" Meta Knight asked, not realizing what he said.

"Have you been listening to me at all? That would explain so much." Tabuu pressed the button the remote briefly.

Meta Knight shuddered as another current of electricity passed through his body. As he tightened his fists, a crack formed in the handcuffs. He pulled as much as he could, ignoring the blood dripping from his wrists. The bonds broke in pieces, taking Tabuu by surprise.

Meta Knight hurried out of the prison, not knowing where he was going. It didn't matter to him at the moment. His surroundings passed by him in a blur as his pace quickened.

He slowly came to a stop when he was sure it was safe. Meta Knight collapsed to the ground, trembling violently, still in shock. He had no idea how hurt he was but he couldn't deny it had to be somewhat bad. His face constantly stung, his wrists deeply gashed, dripping blood more in a continuous flow.

Meta Knight took slow and deep breaths, stomach turning. What would Jigglypuff do if she saw him in this weak state, face and wrists masked in blood? Would she even recognize him? He sighed. It was wrong to see a loved one covered in blood. It wasn't right.

_"But where is Jigglypuff? What if we never see each other again?"_

It couldn't end this way. Not after all the pain he put her through.

"_I promise if we ever see each other again Jigglypuff, I will do everything I can to protect you."_

"I can do this...I can't die now," Jigglypuff muttered, pushing the rubble off her body from the collapsed ceiling. She looked in both directions, expecting to see the same enveloping shadow but instead, nothing but the broken shards of stone on the ground. Jigglypuff felt along the wall again, hoping to find some kind of exit.

Sighing from defeat, she slumped down to the ground, eyes closed. Was she truly trapped?

"_I promise if we ever see each other again Jigglypuff, I will do everything I can to protect you."_

"Meta Knight?" She whispered, looking up at the ceiling...what at minute...the ceiling...Jigglypuff looked at it very closely, now dawning upon her that it had a gaping hole in it. Perhaps she could get out through there.

"_I'm not sure if its safe, but it's the only chance I got."_

Jigglypuff hovered up into the hole, trying to navigate her way through the darkness. Staying calm, she kept progressing through the darkness hoping to find the exit. Her hand rested on a doorknob sending her heart rate skipping a couple beats.

Without giving it a second thought, she opened the door and hurried out. Her smile disappeared in an instant at the sight before her. The ground was stained with a trail of blood droplets. The blood seemed too dark to be the Smashers...but wasn't Meta Knight a demon? Jigglypuff shivered at the thought that the blood could have been his.

"Meta Knight, where are you?" She whispered, taking another step forward but in the process, slipping some of the blood left on the floor. Gasping, she fell flat on her back, looking to see exactly where she was. It seemed like some sort of prison.

Jigglypuff's hand traced along the broken remains of the cell door. Had Meta Knight been trapped in this very cell when she and the Smashers arrived? When he told her to worry about herself and defeat Tabuu for his sake? Jigglypuff pulled her hand away, the door falling to the ground with a soft thud. She stepped into the cell, gazing intently at the area. The ground was stained a dark shade of red, two handcuffs broken at her feet. Jigglypuff held them in her hands and gave them a small pull.

She gasped quietly. Those handcuffs had to be powerful, the metal feeling so strong in her trembling hands. Jigglypuff tossed them aside, shuddering. What had Meta Knight gone through in here while she was worried about being trapped in a safer room?

Tears fell to the floor, mixing with the small puddles of scarlet. Jigglypuff stepped back out of the prison, crying into her hands silently. Once her emotions settled down, she noticed the trail of blood leading up the stairs. Jigglypuff wiped away the tears, eying the staircase with uncertainty. But it was the only clue to Meta Knight's location so she kept walking forward with caution.

The dark purple clouds shone through the glass ceiling above as she continued to walk upstairs. Jigglypuff noticed the stains became fainter when she reached the top of the staircase. She squinted at them, hoping to get some sort of hint.

"_Left...go left..."_

She nodded, disregarding the fact that she may be hearing imaginary voices in her mind. To her surprise, the trail became more vivid with the same dark scarlet colour. Perhaps the voice was guiding her back to her loved one. Or was it Meta Knight speaking to her?

"I trust you, whoever you are. I'm coming." Jigglypuff gently creaked the door open. She eyed a light switch and flipped it quickly. The room dimly lit but at least she could see her surroundings again.

"Hello?" She called out. "Hello? Anyone here?"

Jigglypuff waited for a moment, waiting for a response. But the voice responding took her by surprise.

"Is it really you Jigglypuff?"

"M-Meta Knight?"

"Jigglypuff!"

She hurried over to give Meta Knight a tight hug. He gasped from the closeness at first but hugged her back equally as tight as she did. A moment later, he gasped from pain and she immediately released him. Jigglypuff opened her mouth to ask why when she noticed the front of her shawl had blood stains on it. She glanced at Meta Knight's face, gasping.

"Meta Knight, what happened to you?" Jigglypuff whispered in disbelief. "You're hurt...badly. Even your wrists...!"

He gently rested his hand over her mouth. "Shhh. It's all right. I'm fine now that you are here."

Jigglypuff nodded, eyes still wide, pupils microscopic.

"I know you are worried but please do not be. We are together."

"Together," Jigglypuff repeated. She saw his eyes shine with tears. Jigglypuff never saw him so emotional before. Yet he didn't shed them.

"I...am so sorry I left you," he whispered, looking away. "I hurt you so much. You screamed in pain. Each was a stab to my heart. I wanted to be with you again..."

Jigglypuff held his hand as he tried to calm himself down.

"I have my reasons for leaving. I didn't want you to know. I lied to hide them."

"When you said you didn't want me anymore, you lied?" Jigglypuff said in stunned shock.

"I lied. The very reason why I left was because I was a demon."

"I still accept you the way you-"

He cut her off. "That is not my point. I am a demon, not supposed to love someone. They would get hurt. All because I am cursed."

"C-Cursed...?"

"Whoever I choose to love dies as a result. When I...did that to you in the bedroom, that was all that the curse needed to take effect. As a punishment, I face the same consequence of my curse."

"What are you saying?" Jigglypuff enquired, eyes wider than ever.

"I am saying," he began. "by loving each other, to be in a relationship, I sentenced us both to die."


	70. Episode Fifty Five, Part 3

_Oh my goodness, this chapter turned out much longer than I thought! How did this make over 4000 words! O.O It is a little sad though. You have been warned._

_ENJOY THE LAST UPDATE OF SEASON 4! BLOOPERS WILL BE OUT AFTER CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS! THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL MY AWESOME READERS FOR SUPPORTING ME! ^-^_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

* * *

**Chapter Seventy**

**Episode Fifty Five, Part 3**

_In the End_

"Die?" Jigglypuff asked. "You can't be serious! I refuse to believe that."

"That is part of my curse. I believed to separate myself from you would spare you of that result. But you were constantly depressed. My departure was useless. It never helped the situation at all. I am not asking you to forgive me for being such a monster. You have every right to hate me. I'm taking away your life as we speak."

"I forgive you Meta Knight," Jigglypuff replied. "I'm not mad at you. I don't...mind, you know, dying..."

He held her hand in a tight grip. "Don't say that!"

Jigglypuff buried her face against his shoulder, letting a tear slid down her cheek. "But...I mean that."

"It doesn't matter if you meant it or not. Constantly I worry about you and would that all be for nothing, the moments we shared together, the worry, if you died?" Meta Knight said to her, too harsh for her liking.

"Don't say that to me! That's not what I meant at all!" Jigglypuff hissed at him. She had no idea why she felt angry at him all the sudden but she didn't care. "Why are you always so negative? Do you even know how much I care!"

"The final battle is coming soon Jigglypuff. It determines the fate of the universe. That is a good reason for one to be worried. Have you ever known what it was like to have the burden of something important on your shoulders?"

Jigglypuff glared. "As a matter of fact, yes I do! To live on after my trainer died and not to die because of he did. I wanted to commit suicide then seeing him dead on the ground but did I? No! I had to feel responsible for his death for so long!"

He didn't respond.

Jigglypuff's anger melted away, realizing what she just did. "...M-Meta Knight?"

No response.

She gently touched his shoulder. "Are you all right?"

He looked away. "No, I need to be left alone for a minute. I apologize."

Jigglypuff's jaw slightly gaped open. Was that her fault? "Meta Knight...I...I am sorry...I made you upset."

"I am fine," he said, his voice choked up.

Jigglypuff gasped. "Meta Knight...are...you..."

"No," he replied firmly. He winced as the tears stung the deep cut on his face.

Jigglypuff couldn't see with his back turned to her. She froze in place, unsure of what to do. "Meta Knight...?"

His shoulders shook. He could no longer control his emotions. They had control over him after being held back for too long. His breathing came in deep gasps, the tears pouring down his face. He couldn't believe it though. Being a demon and having the ability, the free will to cry? It didn't make sense.

Jigglypuff reached out to touch him but to her surprise, he held her close, burying his tear stained face against her shoulder. He rubbed circles in her back and by instinct, Jigglypuff reciprocated with the same gesture. At the moment, she understood his pain. She could feel it in her heart.

"It's going to be okay," Jigglypuff whispered, hugging Meta Knight tightly, not caring that the front of her shawl was stained in blood.

He refused to meet her gaze but returned the gesture. "No, it is not 'okay.' Because of me, my very existence, our lives will be over soon. After what I have done to you, I deserve my fate."

"Please don't say things like that. I'll always love you no matter what, even if death should separate us," Jigglypuff said, bursting into tears. Meta Knight felt his own tears fall from his eyes while he was still embraced in Jigglypuff's arms.

Jigglypuff released him and he could not hide his face in time before she gazed upon it. His watery eyes were locked with hers in a stunned silence.

Meta Knight never felt more ashamed of himself for giving in to his emotions and crying in front of Jigglypuff. He wiped his eyes gently with his gloved hands. Very little of them were still white. Though the bleeding from his wrists had stopped, they were still unbelievably sore.

He winced slightly from the pain of even the simple movements just to hug Jigglypuff. He pressed his lips on hers for a moment. Jigglypuff blinked in a daze. How long had it been since their first kiss? Days, weeks, months?

Careful with his wounds, Jigglypuff leaned forward to kiss him again. If he had not been injured, Jigglypuff would have obliged to caress his cheeks. He had forgotten what it felt like to feel at peace and breathless. He felt his heart race with passion; how he missed that feeling.

"When was the last time we shared a moment together? Alone?" Meta Knight asked, releasing his mouth from hers.

"Quite a while," Jigglypuff replied. "After you said you loved me and when I said I loved you. In the bedroom, we had..." A fierce blush coloured her cheeks.

"Oh," he whispered, his face the same shade of red. "But how badly had it affected you?"

"I'm fine," Jigglypuff said, looking down at her stomach. "We were careful Meta Knight. I won't be having a child."

"A child would destroy you even more," he spoke. "We still have a fight to win. Children would only put us in danger."

"Yes...but after this is all over, will it be all right?" Jigglypuff asked.

"Had I not sentenced us both to death, yes. But we will not live that much longer. There is not enough time left," Meta Knight said. "If I was not cursed, then I would be more than happy to have a family with you."

She carefully took his hand in hers. "How much time do we have left?"

"You speak of death so lightly," Meta Knight stated, but he held her close. "Yet time is unknown to us. Living beings made time, before we even existed in this world. When it is our moment, I will be at your side. I promise."

"Thank you Meta Knight," Jigglypuff whispered.

"In the meantime, we should find the others and defeat Tabuu while we have the chance. While we are still alive."

Jigglypuff shivered at those words. She could die anytime.

She followed Meta Knight out of the hallway without saying a word. There was nothing left to say now. Had life really been worthwhile for her? Or was death a peaceful way to go?

_"Dying with the one I love could never be any better. We cannot live without each other, with half a heart within ourselves."_

"I love you," Meta Knight said, taking off a glove, stroking her eyelids. "Even after death, I'll always be with you..." At tear fell from his eyes.

Jigglypuff hugged him tightly. "Me too. Oh, Meta Knight, I love you so much!"

Under the dark, clouded skies of Subspace, they kissed again. Meta Knight hummed softly, Jigglypuff joining in, at first a little shy about it. She felt better knowing he was in a good mood.

"Let's go," he said, parting his perfect lips from her skin. "Are you ready Jigglypuff?"

She slowly nodded. "Yes; as ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

"Oh no," Ike muttered. "This is bad."

"What happened?"

"Tabuu got away. He's going to find Meta Knight and Jigglypuff! We have to do something right away or he will kill them. Alone, they don't stand a chance!"

"When we encountered him, he was a tough opponent. Meta Knight and Jigglypuff need to be extra careful," Snake said, before resuming speaking into his codec.

"How will we find them? They've been separated for a long time and we don't know where they could be," Zelda asked.

Ike thought for a moment. "We will find them...eventually."

"What if Tabuu finds them before we do?" Peach asked with wide eyes.

"...I don't know."

Many facepalmed at that response. But when they felt an ominous presence behind them, they turned around immediately.

"That was my intention," Ganondorf said, grinning. "Tabuu will find them first and it is not an area of Subspace you are aware of. You will not find them in time. Let me make that clear now to all of you Smashers and traitors. Yet I do not care if you others betrayed me. I would have done the same to you had you stayed. Consider yourselves grateful. I am only being generous."

"What will Tabuu do to Meta Knight and Jigglypuff?"

"A battle to the death of course. The last time I checked, I recall Meta Knight too much in a bad condition to fight. It is all thanks to Tabuu, mind you. He knew what he was doing."

"What exactly was Tabuu's plan?" Snake questioned.

Ganondorf smiled. "It was simple. Now that those two are meeting their inevitable fate, it should not be a problem if you knew. Let me explain. It had all started when we were still in the Smash Mansion and forming our group of villains. We had no intention of using Meta Knight at first, but what else was there to do with a monster before we toss it away? We wanted him to prove himself to us, but due to his defiance, I had Tabuu assist me with possessing him. We noticed he was only able to gain his free will because of the Pure One, Jigglypuff. I desired to separate them at first but Tabuu had other ideas. 'Why not let them bond and let the separation agonize them both?' He had told me. I realized his plan and agreed. He took on the role of being the matchmaker to bond them both even more. According to plan, the separation was painful on the two of them. Meta Knight was so blind with despair, he was no problem to capture."

"He escaped though when we proceeded to torture him. As I said, he's not in a condition to fight. He will be an easy victim when Tabuu finds him. If he does not succeed, they will die anyway. All thanks to our plan."

Ganondorf continued to circle around the Smashers, each glaring in his direction but he paid no attention to their angry expressions. "Meta Knight is a cursed demon as a punishment for his betrayal to his creator. If he grows attached to someone else so powerfully, they both die a painful death. No matter what you do, it is impossible to save those two. Their lives will end soon."

Gasps of horror filled the room and weapons were withdrawn all at the same time. Ganondorf smirked and began to head in the opposite direction.

"At least _try_ to find your lost friends. It would be amusing all the same," he said as he blended in with the darkness.

* * *

It worked out perfectly. Meta Knight 'crossed the line' activating the curse, Tabuu had thought with triumph. It would be fun to battle with them for a while until the curse would really take effect. He eyed the two as they proceeded to an open hallway.

Jigglypuff leaned against Meta Knight's shoulder, eyes half closed wearily from exhaustion. He wrapped an arm around her for support while trying to withstand his own.

"We are almost there," he whispered to Jigglypuff. "We will have time to recover soon."

"I hope so," Jigglypuff said, a shiver chilling her whole body. "I have a bad feeling about this though. I think someone's trying to follow us."

Meta Knight glanced over his shoulder. "I do not see anybody...Are you all right? We can rest here if you are tired."

"No, no, it's okay. I'm fine, but what about you? You're really hurt," Jigglypuff said, gazing at his face. He bit his lip, reminded of the hideous wound marking the middle of his face and both cheeks.

"I will be fine. I can manage through this, but only through experience. It has not been something I wanted Jigglypuff. You should not feel hesitant to rest. It is not a problem." His hand gently lifted up her shawl and rested on her heart. "Do not be afraid Jigglypuff. Everything is all right. Trust me."

She opened her mouth to speak but instead, a blush spread across her face. Jigglypuff leaned against him, hand tracing the skin along his back which was thankfully not injured like the rest of his body. He sighed softly, the breath cooling down Jigglypuff's blushing face.

"Feeling better?"

"Sort of."

"Do you?" came a different voice, but one that Meta Knight recognized instantly.

"Jigglypuff, take hold of my hand! We need to get out of here," he whispered to her. Eyes wide, she obeyed, tightly squeezing his hand as he led her out of the hallway to a staircase. A chuckle echoed throughout the room.

"Going somewhere? I think not. Not yet anyway."

"Who said that?" Jigglypuff asked.

"I should have expected you to find us Tabuu. You knew all along." Jigglypuff glanced at Meta Knight surprised.

"That is correct. As I planned, the two of you are deeply in love. There is no way you will survive at this point."

"Meta Knight, he's the one who possessed you and me?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"I see the Pure One is greatly confused. You didn't tell her Meta Knight, about my genius plan? I'm disappointed. Very well then. I'll have the honour of doing so myself," Tabuu said. "I'm sure you are aware that I wanted to use Meta Knight as an experiment for my schemes. But that was for nothing because of you. You were the one who brought him back his free will. I knew then instead of separating you, I would bond you together to make Meta Knight's curse as a failed demon effective. I call myself the matchmaker, so to say."

"You wanted me to fall in love with Meta Knight so we both would die?" Jigglypuff asked with disbelief.

"Exactly. Did it not work? I possessed you on purpose when I found out your love of the stars. I knew you wanted to be with them. When I possessed you, I put you in dangerous situations knowing I could use your passions to my advantage. I would put you in danger without you knowing it so Meta Knight would come to your rescue and develop the bond between you two."

"When I jumped out the window, landed in the forest, that was your doing? Just so you could be the matchmaker? How could you do that to both me and Meta Knight?"

"Very easily. And to answer your question, yes, that is correct. I would not have believed you to be suicidal. I knew Meta Knight would feel for you because of my plan," Tabuu replied, smiling.

"Tabuu, I loved her before you decided to be this so called matchmaker. When I first gazed at her at the start of the tournament, I felt protective of her then. You did not do anything to strengthen my feelings for Jigglypuff. They came from within me and not because of your plan. All you have done was tear our lives out from under us. I cannot describe how disgusted I am of this plan," Meta Knight said, eyes a dangerous shade of red. "You used both of us and our ability to feel emotions. How could you?"

"What else would I do in my free time during my goal to take over the universe? You two would have posed the biggest threat to my plan had I had decided to intervene. Genius, isn't it?"

"It is cruelty. No one should have to go through such horror," Meta Knight objected, hurt evident in his still-red eyes. "Especially Jigglypuff. I am not ashamed to admit I love her with all my heart. I cannot allow you to damage whatever life I have left together with Jigglypuff."

"Meta Knight," she whispered, clinging to his shoulder.

"Is that so? A direct defiance?" He lifted the very chain he used to torture Meta Knight earlier in the prison. "Does this make you want to consider your foolishness? One more wrong move and you both suffer. What is your decision?"

Meta Knight remained silent. Tabuu noticed this and he smirked.

"If you decide to reconsider, I will cure the two of you of the curse. Consider that a bonus. Do the two of you want to live on after this is over and have your own family?"

"I don't believe you," Jigglypuff retaliated. "There's no such cure for that curse."

"She is correct. The demon's curse cannot be cured. It is a lifelong condition," Meta Knight explained, frowning. "Nightmare would not be foolish enough to make a cure. He would wish for the demon to suffer."

"Ah, Nightmare wouldn't be foolish enough, but at one time, we were sworn enemies," Tabuu replied. "I had studied his demon beasts before in the past and the cure does indeed exist."

"Stop lying to us," Jigglypuff insisted. "We know better than that! Just stop that!"

"What do you expect me to say? That a cure doesn't exist?" Tabuu asked, glancing at the angry faces of Jigglypuff and Meta Knight with a smirk on his face.

"We won't join you if that's what you're getting at!" Jigglypuff said, accusingly. "I know what you are after. You want us dead but if we are about to die anyway, could you at least let us enjoy it in peace? You got what you wanted from us Mr. Matchmaker so why don't you just leave us alone?"

"Then I have no other choice but to kill you." He swung his chain so fast, Jigglypuff couldn't see it coming. The metal grazed her cheek, her body slipping from Meta Knight's grasp, down the stairs. Eyes wide, he followed in pursuit, his wings replacing his cape.

He reached out for her she slid from his hands, her own too slippery with blood. "Jigglypuff!" He kept reaching out for her while dodging Tabuu's chain at the same time. His insides were shaking completely but his survival instincts took over his fears.

"It is no use. You will never be together again." Tabuu kept swinging the chain in Meta Knight's direction. Noticing a blow heading straight for his face, he quickly flew out of the way but instead, it struck Jigglypuff. Gasping, he increased his velocity.

They were at the end of the staircase in an empty room. Meta Knight held Jigglypuff in his arms, which shook violently, afraid.

"Where...are we?" Jigglypuff asked, before gasping. "What happened to me?"

"Tabuu attacked you when we were escaping," Meta Knight replied, pressing his hand against the wound, slowing down the blood flow. "I am so sorry I couldn't protect you..."

"Don't be sorry! I'm still alive aren't I?" Jigglypuff asked, forcing a small smile. Meta Knight sighed, pressing his lips to her cheek.

"I will miss that," he said. "That beautiful smile...I loved seeing it, and your blushes." He felt his heart skip beats repeatedly. He gasped, hand covering his mouth.

"M-Meta Knight! What's wrong?" Jigglypuff held him in her arms as he fell backwards. "Speak to me! Say something!"

He gazed at her, eyes widened and full of fear. Meta Knight gasped, heart beating too fast. "...demon's...curse..." he forced out from his vocals. "...my...turn...to...die."

"That can't be possible! You're lying!" Jigglypuff shouted, but the tears splashed down her face. "You're not dying! You'll be all right! Please trust me Meta Knight!"

"...dying...I...am...not...I...can't..." His voice strained to even produce words. Jigglypuff could barely understand what he was saying. She kept pressing down on his stomach.

"Keep breathing Meta Knight! You're going to be okay, I promise!" Jigglypuff said through tears. He gazed at her, reaching for her cheek. She took his hand in hers, nodding. "You'll survive. Please believe me."

"...cannot...breathe..." He gasped, the sound so sickening to her ears. It was a cry for help and one of despair. She couldn't do anything about it. Jigglypuff pressed her mouth on his in a CPR position. Jigglypuff kept breathing in and out consciously. Her surroundings were stars and dots, the world no longer real to her.

Meta Knight's eyes met hers as she kept breathing into him, their mouths still together. She could feel his tongue venture through her mouth with longing. Jigglypuff held him gently, messaging his shoulders while she kept trying to keep him breathing. He pushed her away softly, only enough that their mouths separated.

"M-Meta Knight? Why?"

"...no...use...I...still...cannot..." He coughed violently enough a moment before Jigglypuff noticed blood covering his lips. A scream pierced through the empty room as she tried to wipe the drops away. Tears poured down Meta Knight's face as he used the last of his strength to hold her body against his.

"Meta Knight, what-"

He reached for his sword, lifting it into Jigglypuff's hands. She stared at him, confused. "...give...Galaxia...to...Kirby...before...your...curse..." A cough ended his sentence mixed with tears.

Jigglypuff nodded, truly understanding Meta Knight was dying. "All right, I will. I promise I will give Galaxia to Kirby. It's his now isn't it?"

He nodded, giving the hand holding the sword a gently squeeze. "...tell...others...I...am..."

"Tell the others what? Meta Knight?"

"...that...I...apologize...I...was...no...use..." He pressed his lips on Jigglypuff's. "...go...before...it...is...your...turn...I...love you."

"I love you too," Jigglypuff replied, tears streaming onto her cheeks like waterfalls. He smiled, kissing her one last time. When their lips separated, his were as cold as ice.

Jigglypuff held his hand for a moment before she realized the agonizing truth that Meta Knight's life was over. She sobbed violently, taking Galaxia in hand, leaving the room. For his sake, she had to go on for just a while longer and fulfill Meta Knight's last requests.

As she reached the doorway to take one last look at Meta Knight's body but it was no longer there. Sobbing again, she hurried out of the room, the halls filling with the echoes of her meltdown.

"_I love you,"_ kept repeating through her mind. The horrible coughs of his weakening body and tears of sorrow.

Jigglypuff found herself screaming loudly as the memories tormented her. This time she could never see him again, even if she wanted to. No more kisses and moments together. She hoped the curse would affect her soon so she could reunite with her love.

"...Is that Jigglypuff?"

She immediately looked up to see the astounded faces of the Smashers. Jigglypuff didn't have time to explain. She held out the sword to Kirby. "Take it. It belongs to you now."

"What happened to Meta Knight?" Ike asked, seriously.

"The curse...killed him," Jigglypuff said. "He wanted me to give Galaxia to Kirby. It was a last request. He...wanted to tell you he was sorry he was useless to you..." She burst into tears, shoulders shaking violently. "What happened...to Tabuu?"

"He and Ganondorf fought each other," Zelda replied. "Neither of them won. They fell down into the abyss and we never saw them again. It seems Ganondorf was going to turn against Tabuu."

"They...fell down? Like that?" Jigglypuff asked, eyes brightening a little. "That's all that happened?"

Zelda looked uncertain. "Yes, why?"

"You go on without me. I'm staying here," Jigglypuff said, smiling. "I'm going to find Meta Knight."

"You've gone crazy," Link protested. "You told us he died. You can't find him now. He's gone forever."

"Not in my eyes. I belong with him. Thank you for being good to me, even when I didn't deserve it. I cannot describe how grateful I am to have friends like you. Thank you for being there for me. You've been the best friends ever." Jigglypuff turned away and proceeded down the hallway ignoring the outbursts of protests.

"I will always be in your hearts. Live on for both me and Meta Knight. Go. I'm staying here," Jigglypuff replied, smiling and crying at the same time.

Zelda sighed. Link put a hand on her shoulder.

"She made her decision," he said. "We have to respect that. Let's go. We need to go back to our world, our life. Like Jigglypuff said, we need to move on."

"Thank you," Jigglypuff whispered, tears continuously falling. "Goodbye everyone!" Her giggled as she ran down the halls but sobs were mixed in at the same time. How strange it felt to be happy and sad at the same time.

"_I'm coming for you Meta Knight...I love you."_

Jigglypuff sang softly, entering the room where Meta Knight spent his last breath. There was no trace of his existence but she knew he was still here. She peered over the edge, interested in the abyss below. Maybe all she had to do was jump and it would all be over. Jigglypuff smiled, wiping away her tears. "I'm in my happy place now. I want to be here. Goodbye everyone..."

She giggled again as she took one last look behind her. Closing her eyes, she jumped off the edge, letting the abyss of darkness swallow her whole.

"_I'm here Meta Knight...I'm finally here!"_

"_Where am I?" she thought to herself. Jigglypuff was floating in silvery yet shiny waters but when she lifted her hand, it remained dry with no water dripping off from her skin. The sky was no longer darkened with such monstrosity but with fluffy white clouds. Her hand reached for the clouds, but only then did she realize her hand was glowing. What happened to her?_

_A figure joined her by her side. She did not look up to see who it was. She knew it was Meta Knight. Jigglypuff wasn't alone and the realization filled her being with relief. "Are you all right?"_

"_Uh...I guess so," Jigglypuff said, turning away to hide the sudden flush in her cheeks. "That was quite an experience."_

"_Are you absolutely sure? You would kill yourself to be with me before the curse took effect on you?" the voice asked again, eyes meeting hers. Her face felt completely on fire._

"_Y-Yes, I-I'm fine. I wanted to be with you," she managed._

"_If you say so," he replied, before lying down next to her. "I do admit, it is nice to have company. It does get rather lonesome here with no one else around. I am glad you are here."_

"_Where exactly are we?" I asked. He smiled._

"_I, myself do not know. Should it matter though if I am with you? Forever by your side?"_

_Jigglypuff blushed. "I suppose you are right. And...?"_

"_Hmmm?"_

"_I fulfilled your requests."_

"_Thank you." With that, he held his body against hers. "I love you."_

_Jigglypuff kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you too."_

to die."


	71. Messed Up Creativity 4

_The bloopers are finally here! They were really fun to make and even my brother made a couple which are extremely hilarious! I hope you like them! The next Season will come out in the middle of January since I have two other stories I will work on. Thank you to everyone who reviewed!_

_Disclaimer: Same as usual_

* * *

**Messed Up Creativity 4**

**Chapter Seventy One**

**Season Four: Chapters 52-70**

As she proceeded to the door, she spotted the Koopa football players playing video games together, each seated in magic balloons aligned in the shape of a Weegee head. Whenever Koopa football players played games in one area, it usually meant they would eat dinner soon. Experience in the tournaments proved that to Jigglypuff.

"_I wonder what they could be up to,"_ she thought. Cautiously, she approached them, hiding behind nothing. She could hear each voice distinctly.

"This was how I planned to spend my time tonight. Does the Master Hand always have to force us to play the NES?" That voice belonged to Bowser.

"None of us want to play the NES," Ganondorf replied. Jigglypuff shrieked at the scary voice. She knew he was one of the creepiest Koopa football players she ever knew. "But if we should fail, we need to be on his 'boring side' so to say."

"Is that really necessary?" Wolf cheered as they finished another overplayed NES game. "The Master Hand would trust us."

"Oh, we need him to trust us but merely to overlook our suspicious activities. He was concerned of why nothing was in the garage until midnight yesterday," reminded Ganondorf.

"I'm ugly," Wario said.

"Too late. Dedede's already won that contest," Bowser pointed out, motioning to the overweight walrus. Wario slumped in his seat with too much force, resulting in the NES overturning along with an annoyed Wolf.

"You did that on purpose," Wolf cheered. Wario laughed until the NES was exploding in his direction. Jigglypuff gasped, dodging the NES before it blew her up. She knew at times like these, the Koopa football players could be really boring. Thinking slowly, she stood there doing nothing, waiting to be spotted.

Dedede laughed, returning from the bathroom. He was the only one in a good mood only because Mama Luigi was available (hint, hint:D). "That would have been funny if ya did blow up that pink dinner." Wario laughed as an agreement.

"Who cares about her anyway?"

Jigglypuff glared, trying to control her anger. She hated being called dinner and they knew it.

Still pleased with Wario, Wolf stuck out his face as he passed gas. In nine thousand seconds, a brawl raged on. Many bystanders eyed them as if they were losing their minds.

"You may want to stop," Bowser said. "People are staring!"

"Wheeeeee!" Wolf said, about to go the bathroom when Wario happened to stick out one particular finger. Startled by the rude hand gesture, Wolf smashed into the buffet table. They were now the center of attention.

"Is it that hard for you to behave yourselves for nine thousand hours?" came a slightly slurred voice. He looked up from his wondrous cans of beer. "Do you wish to be on the Master Hand's boring side?"

"NO!" said Wario and Wolf at once.

"Idiots!" Meta Knight shouted, returning to the awesomeness of his beer. Jigglypuff shivered.

Meta Knight was a newcomer to Super Smash Brothers Brawl. She barely knew him, being one of the most antisocial of everyone in the tournament. Jigglypuff was scared of him, partly because of his glowing pupiless eyes which wink constantly as if to flirt and the fact he was part of the Koopa Football Players group. He was a top tier easily defeating those 'in his way' and without mercy but with honour. He didn't seem like a Koopa Football Player to her. He came off as the obnoxious type, intentions shrouded in spaghetti. She still feared him though he never had an encounter with her of any kind. Jigglypuff had no idea why he would be with the Koopa Football Players but he seemed to know what they were up to. That itself struck out in her mind.

Once the villains settled down from their dispute, everyone resumed their activities, the attention shifting away from them much to their relief.

Jigglypuff sighed in relief, knowing everyone had seen her. Deciding now would be a perfect opportunity to leave, she quietly crept away from nowhere making her way to the Ganon's Lair. She felt their gaze rest on her as she proceeded across the cafeteria. Jigglypuff turned around to see Wolf smirking.

Wolf managed to glimpse at Jigglypuff who was still terrified. "Hey Meta Knight, I dare you to dance with her." She could not hear what he was saying since it was in a quiet whisper. This wouldn't end well. Yet she couldn't move even if she wanted to.

Meta Knight glanced up from his can of beer in irritation. "Shut up Wolf. I'm busy."

"Dance with Jigglypuff. I dare you."

He glared at Wolf. "With _who?_"

"Jigglypuff," he replied, grinning. "Unless you're, dare I say it, _afraid._"

There was an awkward silence for a long moment. Even Wario, who would always think about being uglier than King Dedede was quiet. Jigglypuff knew she should leave but her fingers refused to comply. What were the villains discussing?

At last, Meta Knight stood up from his seat. "Again, you are all idiots." Jigglypuff heard that clearly. This sounded good. He approached slowly as if drunk towards Jigglypuff. She stood, paralyzed in fear, unable to move. Her stomach flipped in discomfort looking into Meta Knight's pupiless eyes.

"Um...h-hi," Jigglypuff stuttered, completely scared. He yawned to drown out her words. Wolf and Wario were leaning forward intently to watch the action. She did not notice and even if she did, she wouldn't have cared from fear.

"Would you care to dance?" He asked, voice slurred. Her jaw nearly dropped but she kept her composure. Why would he, a drunk Koopa Football Player, ask someone like her _to dance?_ She fidgeted with her behind before daring to meet his gaze.

"Hell no!" Jigglypuff shouted, completely freaked out. She slapped Meta Knight across his masked foot, pupils microscopic. Wario almost fell off the couch from laughing so hard. Wolf snickered as the Meta Knight bumped into other couples from being too high.

"I suppose you have a reasonable excuse for being late," Meta Knight said in a menacing tone. They cowered under the threatening voice, rapidly inhaling the food they were carrying.

"We were hungry," Dedede said,

Wario glared. "No you weren't! You were in the bathroom!"

Meta Knight sighed.

"You are all ****** idiots. If I hear _one_ complaint about the bathroom throughout this whole plan, this will be the last time you will _ever_ see Mama Luigi. Do you understand?" He always spoke in a slurred voice making him hard to understand.

They nodded, though inside Dedede was amused that a blueberry was talking to him in such a drunk way. _He _should be the one drinking beer. _He_ was the King of Walruses after all. Not that he could speak to him as a servant without a threat which led Dedede to question how Meta Knight changed so much since he drank beer.

The group got lost before making it to the top floor. None of them had been up this high in the Smash Mansion before. If it was not for the light from Meta Knight's eyes, they would have had no idea where they were going. Ganondorf led everyone up to the bathroom, folding his ears as his way of showing idiocy.

"This leads to the bathroom. We will have to split up to disable the toilets in the whole mansion. The rest of you can continue to proceed upstairs. None of you will be able to fit into there." He motioned to the toilet. "The walrus can go in there."

Dedede grinned at Ganondorf. Nothing pleased him more than being called a walrus. He elbowed Ganondorf hard in the knee, hitting the most sensitive part of the leg. He groaned and almost fell over. The villains were in a mix of being scared and chuckling.

"What is the point of having him go in there?" Wolf asked, having successfully held back his laughter.

"I want to film this for future blackmailing purposes. That toilet leads to the middle of nowhere. The highest level of protection lies up there. If Dedede successfully disables the security in there, the rest of us can get the hell out of there. He will not know we will be gone. Once the walrus is gone, we will all go down to the garage and go aboard the Halberd and upload our video on YouTube," Ganondorf explained. "Hopefully they will be arriving now. _He_ knows this would be the perfect opportunity."

"He better keep to his word," Wolf said. "Let the walrus go in there and we'll take care of the rest."

Because he was bored and had nothing better to do with his life, Dedede's left kidney struck hard against Wolf's area not typically displayed to the public causing him to fall over in pain. The others quietly left leaving Dedede to shove his head down the toilet. He carefully navigated through the toilet, mind blank. The plan they had been working so hard to accomplish for months was finally coming together exactly the way they desired.

For a second, he grinned at the thought of the Smashers. He did not understand why but he ate every single one of them. Their determination to vanquish the darkness pleased him more than anything. This would be the last opportunity to take out his dinner; especially on those who fought for spaghetti.

He climbed out from the toilet, completely dirty. Dedede eyed the buttons on the machines with intensity. He successfully found the high-tech surveillance room. Excited, his hand hovered over the power button and pressed against it until the light went dim. Or it should have went dim. Because he was still wet from travelling down the toilet, several electric shocks struck him at once. The monitor became clouded with static before shutting down. Dedede, fed up, quickly yanked out the cords until they snapped perfectly in nine thousand pieces.

The whole room went silent as the power was fully disconnected from the circuits. He entered the toilet again without leaving a trace of himself behind. Most of the security was down. The Master Hand would no longer be able to monitor the area with the surveillance cameras.

He quietly entered the Master Hand's office, careful as he passed by the sleeping disembodied hand. The villains nodded in acknowledgment of their success.

"The security is completely off," Bowser whispered. "We must get to the Halberd immediately. We have to make our video for blackmailing the walrus."

The hand still remained oblivious to the villains until they accidently stepped on a candy wrapper. Meta Knight was the first one to swear as the Master Hand woke up. The villains gulped.

Busted. So much for their plan.

**--**

Jigglypuff was hungry. Completely worn out and tired on the verge of dying. Every moment her body would betray her. How long had it been since she ate anything? Just how long was she unconscious in the first place?

He was sure he would be seen. Meta Knight accidentally passed gas causing the branch to break. Startled, he passed gas again as he fell from below. Before he could pass gas once more, his nose was caught in a tangle of branches, holding him in place. Jigglypuff turned around, jaw dropping in both shock and astoundment that it was Meta Knight who had destroyed every living thing surrounding them by his gas.

"M-Meta Knight?"

"Jigglypuff, are you all right?"

"Of course not," Jigglypuff replied, frowning. "Why shouldn't I be? I thought I was going to die!" She gazed at him with hesitance. "Meta Knight, exactly what did you do up there?"

His face flushed. "I-I passed gas." He tugged on his eye, hoping his nose will let him go. Jigglypuff found herself giggling at Meta Knight's attempts to eat his face. The seemingly gassy knight trapped in a cluster of branches unable to escape. She did find that rather amusing.

"Explain why you think this is funny," Meta Knight replied irritably. Jigglypuff opened her mouth to respond when he let more gas pass suddenly dissolving the branches causing him to fall down to his untimely doom.

"That is so gross," she gagged, covering the part of her body that smelled things. He didn't realize until he was out of gas until he was holding his fingers. Cheeks a darker shade of pink, he gently let go.

"I'm out of ammo, unfortunately," he said. "Do you know where I could get more Jigglypuff?"

"No!" Jigglypuff wanted to mentally kick him in the head for being so absurd and idiotic.

"That's a shame," he whispered after what felt like nine thousand hours. Jigglypuff could have fainted from the response.

"W-Why would you think of that?"

Meta Knight shrugged. "That's what everyone thought. Though I have not yet told anyone, I believe that is the reason of why you were almost killed last week. I fear I was trying to possess you, knowing how to use your love for me to my advantage. It is most unfortunate for you to suffer. You need to be careful from now on until I stock up on ammo again."

"I...know I was used tonight. The same force was trying to control me again."

Meta Knight chuckled. "You are a liar."

Jigglypuff's face went beet red. "I am not! At the last minute, I realized what you were doing but it was too late and I fell from my bedroom. I only remember waking up in the middle of nowhere, your gas almost taking my life. I was sure I was dead. W-What is wrong with you Meta Knight? What if the true enemy is...you?"

"You've lost your mind. You were only possessed. That is not who I really am. I know I am very compassionate of others, who would do anything to ensure no one was hurt. I admire myself Jigglypuff, my manly nature. My ability to pass gas freely and with no regret or shame. I wish you could do the same."

"Why would I Meta Knight? You need to control yourself and accept that passing gas in the open is crude. Everyone has only one life. It is disrespectful to do that in front to others," Jigglypuff said. "I learned that after my trainer died. He taught me it was dangerous to pass gas though at the time I didn't believe him. Now I realize he was right all along."

"You mentioned your trainer before. What happened to him?"

"I killed him," Jigglypuff said briefly.

Meta Knight cheered. "YES!!!"

"What the hell is your problem!?" Meta Knight inched closer to her until their sides touched. Her eyes widened. "Freak!"

"Settle down," Meta Knight said, wrapping an arm around her somewhat casually. "I want you."

Jigglypuff screamed. "%#%$^"

Meta Knight's face flushed again. "Jigglypuff, that was highly unnecessary."

Jigglypuff smirked. "But highly effective."

Meta Knight mask-palmed. "You've definitely lost it!"

"Says the gassy knight," Jigglypuff retaliated.

The noises of cracking armour brought her back from the worried thoughts and fears. She knew by now it was Meat Knight who was approaching her. Her eyes became unsettled with spaghetti when his tape touched her side.

"Is something the matter?"

"No," she replied, knowing that was a complete lie.

"Why are you out here all alone? I would have thought you would have invited me," Meat Knight said.

Jigglypuss sighed. "I guess so but I really want to be here _alone_ not with you. I like being alone better. Do you?"

"Sometimes," Meat Knight admitted. "I do not particularly enjoy being with you myself."

"Meat Knight, how long have you isolated yourself from everyone? It must be great," Jigglypuss replied.

"Oh yeah, it's the best!" He smiled. "Why does this concern you so? You should mind your own business Jigglypuss."

"You do understand that you are annoying Meat Knight? Can you not realize that?" Her voice was almost a mock.

Meat Knight sighed again. "Jigglypuss...why?"

Jigglypuss grinned. "Actually, I do care about you."

"Really? Do you really mean that?" Meat Knight replied, smiling behind the mask. "I cannot recall the last time anyone has cared for me. That feeling...is the greatest."

"I lied to you," she said, hitting him across the face. He looked at her, his eyes slightly widening in shock. Jigglypuss smiled in response. "Is something wrong?"

"Y-You tricked me," he whispered, feeling the heat concentrate on his cheeks. His voice weakened as he spoke.

"I know. That was awesome though. You know you fell for it," she said.

He nodded slowly, deciding not to speak.

"You don't mind then?" Jigglypuss pressed further, her hand beginning to remove the glove. He pulled away so quickly, Jigglypuss's eyes widened from shock.

"Don't touch me!" he shouted, trying to pronounce each word properly. His glove continued to slide off his hand making Meat Knight angrier. Maybe it was the fact that he developed a strong dislike for Jigglypuss.

Jigglypuss said nothing as she completely took the glove off his hand. She saw Meat Knight glare at her, reaching for the glove, putting it back on.

She realized this may be the best and last moment they share time alone together. They would be fighting against Subspace tomorrow. This may be her last and only chance to tell Meat Knight how she felt. Alone.

"Meat Knight, do you want to go for a walk with me?"

"Get lost," Meat Knight replied, picking up his gloves and walking away. Jigglypuss restrained him, preventing him from getting away.

As her heart rate began to speed up, she realized that Meat Knight practically dragging her as he continued to leave her alone. She blushed, the warmth of his hand soothing against her own. Jigglypuss shivered from the sudden chilly air. Meat Knight noticed the gesture and briefly smacked her across the face.

"I SAID NOT TO TOUCH ME!" He shouted.

Jigglypuss glared. "IT WASN'T MY FAULT! YOU WERE DRAGGING ME YOU IDIOT!"

As he pulled at his handcuffs again, the door broke in two. Meta Knight jumped from surprise, shutting his eyes as Tabuu entered the room.

"The plan is working as we hoped," he spoke. "Though I wish it would have worked out a little faster."

"Well excuse me," Ganondorf replied. "It's not my fault our armies are useless and went on strike. But as for the locations of the Pure One...?"

"Who cares?" He motioned to Meta Knight. "We captured him. It was not too difficult, mind you. That demon was too caught up in his grief to put up a fight."

Ganondorf glanced at Meta Knight's _unconscious _body and groaned. "Why did you waste your time trying to capture that thing? All that effort for a blueberry? You're going crazy."

"The Pure One loves him. That is enough evidence," Tabuu replied. "Perhaps until the others arrive _trying_ to rescue him, we could use some entertainment. I'm getting bored."

Meta Knight's heart beat twice as fast. What were they planning to do to him?

"Pin the tail on the blueberry?" Ganondorf asked.

"Of course."

"_I should have known," _Meta Knight thought to himself. He trembled a little but not enough to be noticed.

"We did intend to use Pure One and toss her away once we were through with him but this thing will do," Ganondorf said, grinning. "We needed some form of entertainment anyway."

"That was why you needed my assistance," Tabuu agreed. "and my role as the President of the United States."

"_What a liar. He's so full of himself."_

Ganondorf glanced again at Meta Knight. "Do you think he is awake listening to us?"

Tabuu chuckled. "How the hell should I know or give a crap for that matter? He wore himself out trying to escape. Now to add some fun to this game." He pressed the nearest button on his remote. The handcuff's dulled down, the power having been short circuited.

Meta Knight chuckled but when they turned towards him, he pretended to be asleep.

"What in the name of Subspace happened to the power?" Ganondorf said. "This will take too long to fix!"

"We don't need electricity to pin a tail on a blue beach ball," he replied.

Meta Knight's heart rate accelerated. They didn't need power to pin a tail on him. What was he to do?

"What should we do with the blueberry?" Ganondorf asked. "Start our game?"

"Why, of course but I get to do the honours."

Meta Knight screamed and protested violently as the cell door opened. "DON'TTOUCHMEDON'TTOUCHMEI'MTOOPRETTYTODIE!"

Tabuu smiled, pushing a button on his remote. Nothing happened. Meta Knight chuckled as Tabuu kept hammering on the button. "Is that the best you can do?"

Tabuu glared at Meta Knight. "It is not my fault the power went out," Tabuu said, groaning. "Though I admit, it is _annoying._" He spat out the last word in resentment and disgust. He held Meta Knight up by the handcuffs. Meta Knight kicked the Subspace leader in the face, causing part of the chain to swing back at Tabuu's face, cutting one of his cheeks. He landed on his back seething in anger.

"Has stupidity made you weak?" Meta Knight asked, dominantly hovering over Tabuu's body. "I expected you to try putting up a fight."

Tabuu glared. "That is the last time you cross my temper, puffball."

"I'll do it whenever I feel like it. You can't stop me," Meta Knight shot back, smirking.

Tabuu held the chains in hand and swiped it quickly across Meta Knight's face but it missed completely and hit Ganondorf in the face. He never saw Ganondorf so angry before.

"Sorry about that."

Ganondorf rolled his eyes and sat back in the recliner deciding to have an afternoon nap.

"_Meta Knight, I love you."_

He looked around him, startled. Was that...Jigglypuff's voice? He couldn't believe it. Was he dreaming again?

"_Jigglypuff?" _

"Have you come to your senses yet?" Tabuu asked. Meta Knight glanced in his direction, confused.

"I do not understand," he whispered, paying no attention to Tabuu whatsoever.

"Do we finally reach an agreement?" Tabuu asked.

Meta Knight looked up, surprised. What was Tabuu talking about? He couldn't tell the truth and risk another beating. He kept his composure. "What the hell are you talking about? I didn't understand word you said." His heart skipped a beat, knowing this wouldn't end well.

Tabuu sighed. "Oh well, that's a shame. That would have made everything a lot easier."

"I don't care," Meta Knight said.

"Have you been listening to me at all? That would explain so much." Tabuu pressed the button the remote briefly. Again nothing happened.

Meta Knight sighed. "Tabuu, this is getting ridiculous. Haven't you realized the power isn't working? I'm disappointed in you." But how was he to escape?

"_Meta Knight, use the force..."_

"Why didn't I think of that?" As he tightened his fists, a crack formed in the handcuffs. He pulled as much as he could, ignoring the blood dripping from his wrists. The bonds broke in nine thousand pieces, taking Tabuu by surprise.

Meta Knight hurried out of the prison, tripping and stumbling the whole way there.

--(Ultimate Link95's Bloopers)--

The sun had fully disappeared, leaving the Smash Universe's grounds blanketed in an abyss of darkness, the only light provided by the moon. But for some reason, there was no moon, making all the denizens of the land panic. The sky was perfectly clear with not a star hovering amidst the foggy clouds. The wind which had previously been a cool breeze was now a fifty times stronger than the worst hurricane ever.

As the Smashers slept through the rough weather, the Halberd's engines started up. Then, quite suddenly, they stopped. Yelling could be heard from inside, and after a few minutes, the sound of a backup generator could be heard and the engines started again. The battleship lifted into the sky with enough noise to awaken everyone. Four figures wandered down the corridors of the dark ship, the only light being the dim lamps on the walls. The sound of a toilet flushing could be heard, and a fifth joined them. None of them spoke as they approached the meeting room without exchanging dialogue to one another. Just then, the one at the front tripped, causing all the others to trip over him. Shouts of people yelling at each other to get off could be heard throughout the ship. They all eventually got up and continued on.

The door opened automatically, the figures each taking a seat at the long table in the middle of the room. But as each one of them sat down, cheap prank toys hidden under the cushion of each chair went off, making loud, disgusting farting sounds. They were the Smash Brothers villains: Ganondorf, Dedede, Wario, Yoshi and Bowser. They all waited in the eerie silence for their leader to arrive. Fifty years later some of them were getting restless or impatient or dead.

"Our leader should be on his way," Ganondorf said, one of the few who managed to remain alive. "He will arrive, if he's still alive." His words fell off deaf ears as Dedede and Bowser passed the time in an argument of who was the better dancer.

In a few minutes, Yoshi was annoyed at the two, however, Ganondorf was the only one unfazed by the soon-to-be battle. "Everyone worry. He shouldn't be returning very soon. Be very afraid."

"We've been here for fifty years! I'm hungry," Wario's corpse complained.

Ganondorf looked at the body that sat before him. "Wario, I thought you died thirty years ago!"

"I did. But my spirit has come back to haunt you!" said the body.

"Oh, shut it, Wario." The door opened, a figure concealed by a bed sheet with cut-outs for eyes entered the room. He sat in the remaining chair; the leader's seat. "I apologize if I was late. There was a sale at the mall. Nothing could be done if my underpants were not bought in time."

"Excusable," Ganondorf said. "We do wish for a good supply of fudgies."

"When will our special guests be here?" the figure asked, staring at the villain.

"They will be here in about another four centuries," Ganondorf replied. "It will be long now."

"That is unfortunate. The wait has been rather tiresome. It was not the first time they delayed the arrival of our guests before. Hopefully this time they won't arrive according to schedule."

"Why aren't we allowed to call you by your name, Meta Knight?" Wario interrupted, along with Dedede. The leader turned to glare at them.

"Shhh! That's supposed to be a secret. We are here in order for our plan to succeed, not to tell everyone my name." Wario slumped down in his seat. Dedede groaned, banging his walrus tusks on his knee in the process. He screamed, grasping his bleeding knee. He started to sob.

The leader rose from his seat, walking out of the room wandering down the dark hallways. The insufficient lighting did bother him a lot. He could see a light switch nearby, so he flicked it on. Just then, he got an electrical shock, burning him to a crisp. He staggered around another corner to the pilot room, the plan replayed itself in his mind. Centuries passed yet secretly he and the other villains had been developing a plot.

To be precise, exactly six hundred years ago; also the opening of Super Smash Brothers Brawl. Who was his mom to enforce the rules in the Smash Mansion? They were a mere nuisance. Nothing was wrong with being on the good side. There was so much independence and power with being a cop...his mom would realize that soon enough once their plan would begin.

He gazed out the windshield, staring at the moonless sky. A completely terrible night. Storms he found very calming inside, the raging winds equivalent to thousands of knives impaling him. It suited him fine, being the leader of the police station. He took the responsibility with pride, the power more addicting than he originally anticipated.

The Halberd hovered over the Smash Mansion, the engines drowned out all other sounds. So far everything was going according to plan. When the guests arrived, they would be thrown out the window to their untimely doom. They would never know what hit them.

The leader laughed, certain the rest of the plan would go smoothly. Everything was perfect...

"Good news!" Bowser and Wario said at the same time. Speaking in unison, the leader could not understand what they were saying.

"Could you say that again? I understand both of you."

"There has been a problem," Bowser began to explain. "We heard that they are unable to arrive in this century. There was an unexpected delay in their schedule, so they will be coming in exactly 507,279,437 years."

The leader glared at the two, his good mood completely nonexistent. "Surely you must be telling the truth. Everything was perfect for the plan!"

"It's true," Bowser said. "In fact Ganondorf is speaking to_ your dad_ right now."

"Why did you not tell me that tomorrow?" The leader drew his sword and killed the two of them out of pure joy. He then committed suicide by jumping out the windshield.

"Where exactly are we going?"

"To the beach!"

"Where exactly is the beach?"

"How am I supposed to know? You are the one who decided to take a vacation."

While Bowser and Yoshi argued back and forth, Wario and Dedede were on the couch having a slappy fight. All of them wanted to obey Ganondorf. Even Wario and Dedede felt it was right to listen to him. They absolutely needed a holiday.

"Don't you find it splendid that we have to serve Ganondorf when we like being ordered around?" Bowser spoke up.

"I know exactly what you're talking about," Yoshi said, groaning. "I love that guy. He lets us have breaks these days. He makes us work only when we feel like it. I enjoy being a slave to that marvellous man."

"We're on break right now!" Dedede protested.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious, tusk face," Bowser said, glancing at the others who nodded in agreement.

"He knows what we are planning," Yoshi said, grinning. "When he found out, his reaction was priceless. That dreamy guy won't know what hit him!"

"Who's dreamy?" came a high pitched voice. Yoshi gasped, looking behind him.

"Oh, Ganondorf, you've come again at last! Will you marry me?" he said, staring directly into Ganondorf's eyes.

Ganondorf took a few steps back, the look on his face a combination of terror and disgust

Wario and Dedede scrambled for the remote. Yoshi continued to stare at Ganondorf.

"Please Ganondorf, answer me," he said. In the background, Wario and Dedede knocked down the couch and after a few long seconds, they both reached for the remote.

"Give it to me! I found it first!" Wario said.

"That's what she said."

The screen suddenly changed channels. Both villains looked up fearfully at the disapproving expression on Ganondorf's face. The channel was a romantic music channel.

"Oh, Ganondorf, what is your answer?" Yoshi said, tears welling up in his eyes. He went down on one knee and pulled a ring out of nowhere.

As Ganondorf ran out the door, three of the remaining villains exchanged nervous glances, while Yoshi fell to the ground and cried.

"What is with you, Yoshi?" Wario asked. "You should be helping with the plan. Ganondorf doesn't even like you in the first place!"

"I reckon he'll try to use you," Dedede said.

"What are you going to do about it?" Wario asked, slumping down in the couch. "If we don't do our job and capture King Harkinian, we're done for!"

"I have an idea," Yoshi said, grinning. "But we have to let Ganondorf know this moment. He would know how to pull it off."

"What's your plan?" Bowser asked, leaning forward.

"Listen carefully..."


	72. Season 5: Episode Fifty Six

_Though I promised myself the next update wouldn't be until the middle of January, I couldn't resist starting this Season early. I have so much motivation for it right now! I'm back in school now but I have too much free time so hopefully these updates won't take long to finish. I think you'll like this chapter, even though it's short (because it's an introductory chapter for the Season ) The next one will be longer, I promise! Enjoy the new chapter:D_

_Disclaimer – Same as usual_

* * *

**Season Five**

**Chapter Seventy Two**

**Episode Fifty Six**

_The Master Hand's Surprise Announcement_

Leaning back in a recliner, Meta Knight skimmed through the pages of the latest Smash Brothers newspaper. The lounge was a quiet part of the Smash Mansion at five in the morning. Unlike the others, Meta Knight was an early riser. Beside him on the end table was a small cup of coffee he occasionally sipped from.

It was a comfort being alone. Around the presence of others, he had to eat and drink in secret where he would avoid being interrogated about the possibility of consuming anything with a mask in the way. He lifted his mask before bringing the cup to his lips.

Nothing but the same stories repeated themselves in the newspaper in his hands. How long had it been since he read something somewhat decent? The articles were too mundane. Surely they could come up with something a little more interesting. Brawls after brawls and still everything seemed repetitive.

He needed a change. A simple way to put it. Anything different from the usual routine.

Rain continued to pour down from the humid sky. Three months ago, he remembered leaving his homeland as a newcomer to the Third Tournament. Not exactly the best day he experienced in his life. It didn't make him feel any better that King Dedede had received an invitation too. They never got along well, not even when they first met.

With Kirby constantly forcing him to accept his invitation, he gave in reluctantly.

He sighed, leaning back in the recliner, resting the newspaper on the table. He still was exhausted from a sleepless night of tossing and turning.

It was useless getting any sleep now. Every morning at seven, sometimes earlier, the cafeteria was utter chaos with Smashers trying to be first in line for breakfast. Meta Knight would rather pass on such a wake up call. He sat up from the recliner, deciding it would be a better idea to sleep upstairs in his bedroom he shared with Jigglypuff, his hyper roommate.

Normally she was a light sleeper in the morning but thankfully, she didn't move from her position when the door opened. Meta Knight really needed some silence at the moment.

Once his body relaxed on the bed, sleep instantly overcame him, granting the rest he desperately desired.

***

"Meta Knight, wake up!"

He groaned softly as Jigglypuff's round eyes stared into his. She sighed from exasperation.

"I've spent five minutes trying to wake you up," she said to him. He collapsed back on the bed much to her dismay.

"I apologize," he whispered. "I did not get any sleep last night." The annoyed expression on her face softened to one of sympathy.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

He sat up, smiling behind the mask. "Out of curiosity, what time is it?"

Jigglypuff glanced at the clock behind her. "Nine."

Meta Knight inwardly sighed from relief. It wasn't as late in the morning as he feared. "All right."

"Did you want anything to eat? Breakfast is still being served."

He wasn't in the mood to eat anything but gave in as not to worry Jigglypuff. "Sure. Let's go." A wide smile spread across her face at his response.

Cape wrapped around himself, he followed behind, extremely grateful the cafeteria was much calmer than he anticipated. He expected everyone to still be there but thankfully there were no more than a few.

"He slept in this morning," Jigglypuff said to the waiter who questioned why they had not eaten yet. Meta Knight ate silently without saying a word. He didn't eat much as anyone else in the tournament. He had told Jigglypuff time and time again that he was fine. One time, she tried to get him an appointment with the doctor, believing he had a health condition immediately.

"Are you sure that's enough to eat?" she asked as his plate was completely empty.

"I am sure Jigglypuff. I'm all right," he assured her, though trying not to let his aggravation show. He'd been asked that way too many times to keep track.

"If you say so," she said with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

As they were about to leave the cafeteria, an announcement rang out on the intercom. "All Smashers report to the Meeting Room in five minutes. I repeat, all Smashers report to the Meeting Room in five minutes. Thank you." As the Master Hand finished speaking, laughs could be heard in the background and the sound of an explosion. A result of another one of the Crazy Hand's hyper spasms.

"Let's go Meta Knight!" Jigglypuff said, smiling.

Smiling, he agreed. "All right."

They were one of the first ones to reach the Meeting Room first. As expected, Sonic was the first to arrive, saying his signature phrase, "You're too slow." Everyone was used to it by now but they were still annoyed at the overused quote.

"What do you think this meeting is about?" Jigglypuff asked Meta Knight once Sonic finally shut up.

"I have no idea." Deep down, he did have a nagging suspicion something bad was going to happen very soon.

Within the five minutes, everyone was settled into their seats as the Master Hand arrived shortly after, and as usual, the Crazy Hand being absent.

"I'm sorry Crazy Hand could not make it today. He had another one of his...spasms. But moving on to more important matters, it may concern you that brawls today have been cancelled. And from now until the end of July, they will only be on weekends."

Murmurs and whispers filled the room. It was unheard of to cancel brawls during the week unless there was some sort of an emergency. What could have happened?

"We have been asked of a prestigious honour as Smashers. One that we must take seriously as a team; our pride as a family depends on it." Everyone fell silent at the last sentence. "The Crazy Hand and myself consulted over this and decided if you act on your best behaviour, it would be all right and we would give it a try. We have been asked to host a Talent Show at the end of the next month. We decided to cancel most of the brawls in order to spend time practising for the special occasion. As an honourable family, it is mandatory for everyone's participation. Unless there is a reasonable excuse, everyone will be expected to perform onstage. Any questions?"

"We have to work in groups?" could be made out among the many voices that spoke at the same time.

"Working in a group is optional. I'm not forcing you to work with anyone else. That is your choice. You may work alone if you wish. Though I advise you find a group, the decision is ultimately yours. For any activities, they must follow the rules and does not threaten the safety of anyone else, I will allow it. Speak to me first about your presentation so I can let you know if it is appropriate. Anyone breaking these rules will be punished severely."

"Does magic classify under an inappropriate activity?" Ganondorf said, at the same time, deep in thought. A few others exchanged nervous glances.

"It is appropriate as long as no one is harmed," the Master Hand replied.

"Fair enough."

"Doesn't a Talent Show sound like lots of fun?" Jigglypuff asked. Meta Knight sighed.

"Not really," he replied, posture stiff. She looked at him questionably but didn't know what to say. Jigglypuff thought for once he wouldn't be so pessimistic and isolated.

"If you wish to team up, let me know two days from now at the latest. On Thursday, we will have our first practise session. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask the Crazy Hand or myself. We will be glad to answer any."

"Meta Knight," Jigglypuff began as everyone left the Meeting Room in a rush, the last ones being the villains. "You heard the Master Hand. Participation isn't an option. You have to do something or else you'll be in trouble."

"I heard him myself," he said, without looking back. "I also happened to be at the meeting."

"Well...did you have any ideas in mind when you do decide to participate?" Jigglypuff asked. "About an activity, group..."

"It does not concern me what the Master Hand said at the moment. I am not interested in participating." Before Jigglypuff could respond, he added, "I need to think about it." She closed her mouth, knowing he won the argument. There was no use persuading him.

"I'll let you do that," she said, reluctantly giving in to stay quiet about his refusal. "We have the day off don't we? The Master Hand cancelled the brawls for this week. Do you want to do something together? To keep this Talent Show off our minds for a while? I do agree we should think about it later."

Meta Knight smiled. "Why not? What did you have mind?"

"How about going to the Roost for coffee? They should be opening now," Jigglypuff suggested.

"All right then."


	73. Episode Fifty Seven

**Chapter Seventy Three**

**Episode Fifty Seven**

_Team Dilemma_

"Two coffees please," Jigglypuff said as she and Meta Knight took a seat on the cushioned stools.

"Coming right up," Brewster said in reply.

Jigglypuff smiled. "Thank you."

She visited the Roost many times before. Meta Knight could understand why she loved this place so much. It was perfect to relax and to keep the mind off any worries. The very scent of the Roost was pleasing in itself.

There was no way he would be forced to participate in a Talent Show. What did the fans expect him to do? Challenge someone to a brawl and emerge victorious? All he did in the tournament was either to fight or to read. He'd have nothing to give onstage. A good enough reason to back out when he still had the chance.

He smiled, knowing it was a worry for him no longer. Jigglypuff's mind was occupied elsewhere, distracting her from panicking. He would greatly miss these moments when the Talent Show would soon approach or even deciding what she was going to do onstage.

Brewster came back setting down two cups of coffee. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

"One straw," Jigglypuff replied, ignoring the odd look on Brewster's face. He handed it to her still uncertain. "Thank you."

She handed Meta Knight the straw. He smiled beneath the mask. "Thank you Jigglypuff." She knew very well he always used a straw to drink everything. It was very convenient to slide under his mask.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Jigglypuff asked.

"Yes I am. It was nice of you to invite me here." He took a sip of coffee through his straw. "I really like this place. I would not mind coming here again."

"We will, if that makes you happy," Jigglypuff said, surprised.

Her cup of coffee was already empty. She tried very hard not to stare at Meta Knight as he continued to finish his coffee. She never had seen anyone else who used a straw to drink practically everything that was considered a liquid. Her stomach growled, bringing her out from her daydreams.

"Did you want anything to eat?" He asked with concern.

"No, I'm fine. I'll eat later," Jigglypuff replied. "One more coffee please."

Brewster nodded.

"Are you sure another coffee will be enough?"

"Positive. I absolutely love this coffee."

"...So do I."

The door opened, Ike, Marth and Link entering the Roost.

"Are you sure about that Link?"

"Certain. I have this all planned out. This will definitely be a good performance."

"What if someone gets hurt?"

"It won't happen. I planned everything out."

"Do you really think the fans really want to see jousting?"

They froze when they caught glimpse of Meta Knight and Jigglypuff. "Do you think they heard me?"

"I doubt it. They're too busy talking to each other."

Jigglypuff smiled. "Hi guys! Did you come for a coffee too?"

"Yeah," Ike said. "We could use one right now. Three coffees please Brewster. Link's going to pay for it."

Link slammed his hand on the counter. "Who said I was paying-I mean, of course I'll pay for it."

Brewster's expression was unreadable but he turned around to make a new pot of coffee as if Link's outburst never happened.

"Is something wrong?" Jigglypuff asked with a worried look on her face.

"Nothing really. Link's in one of his crazy moods again. Don't mind him." He massaged his forehead gingerly.

Link reluctantly gave the money to Brewster. "I still don't understand why I have to pay for your coffees."

"He's been talking about the Talent Show all morning," Ike told Jigglypuff. "We agreed to be part of his team for a jousting performance. Not exactly what I had in mind."

"Jousting?" Jigglypuff repeated. "That's...um, unique."

"Same here. It's all Link's fault. He already signed us up a team. Marth's not pleased with it either," he said quietly so Link's couldn't hear what he was saying.

"Are you doing anything for the Talent Show?" Link asked Jigglypuff.

"Haven't decided." She pointed at Meta Knight. "He's not going."

Link almost choked on his coffee. "You have to! The Master Hand said everyone has to participate!"

"I have nothing to offer onstage," Meta Knight said, frowning. "I refuse to be there."

"You must have some kind of talent," Ike said, equally as astonished.

"No, I do not."

Link thought for a moment. "Are you sure about that?"

"Certain, I am not going. End of story."

"Meta Knight, you're going to miss out on a lot."

"I do not think so," he shot back, voice firm and unrelenting. "It does not matter what the Master Hand said. Forcing everyone to participate is out of the question. It is not right."

"You should give it a chance. You might enjoy yourself," Marth said, seeing as Link was too busy gulping down his coffee to respond. Meta Knight folded his arms.

"I will not."

"Even the villains are doing it," Link said, once his empty cup slammed on the counter. "And they don't get involved often. That's really saying something."

"The villains' decisions do not concern me, do they? What should it matter that they decided to participate? It does not mean that I have to do the same," Meta Knight objected.

"The Master Hand is going to be very disappointed," pointed out Jigglypuff. "You'll be in serious trouble Meta Knight. Especially being a top tier. The fans will be expecting you to be onstage."

"Do I not fight brawl after brawl every week? What more do they want from me?" He sighed, pushing away his empty coffee cup. "I have nothing to show them. You need to understand. It is very personal."

"You're disobeying the rules!" Jigglypuff said in disbelief. "And you don't care one bit! I can't believe that!"

"I do not expect you to," Meta Knight replied in a stiff voice. "You should decide what you are going to do since you will be participating, am I right Jigglypuff?"

"Um....yes, I am. I know it is my duty to do my part as a Smasher and work as a team. And you couldn't care less about what happens if you don't show up. It's not just me who will be disappointed. There are many others who expect you to be there. Please Meta Knight. Please give it a try."

"I will pass. Now if you will excuse me." He stood up from his seat and proceeded to open the Roost door. Jigglypuff opened her mouth to speak but it closed in defeat.

"Why do I even bother?"

Link put a hand on her shoulder. "We should leave him alone for a while. Sooner or later, he'll pull through and accept participating. He's stubborn. That can't be helped."

"I know...but...nevermind. What's the point anyway? He won't listen to us. He's going to be in trouble."

"Like I said, he will pull through this. He's a strong warrior. He is going to be fine," Link reassured her. "I'm sure he's faced worse than a Talent Show."

"I guess you're right. I'll trust that." Deep down, Jigglypuff had a feeling Meta Knight was never going to cooperate.

_"What should I do? Like Meta Knight, I have nothing to offer onstage," _Jigglypuff thought to herself, biting her lip. _"I won't back out of this like Meta Knight is. I'm going to try, even if I have no talents."_

"You'll still be there, right Jigglypuff?"

She grinned. "I definitely will be. You can count on me to be there. I'm giving it my best shot."

Ike returned the grin. "That's the spirit."

Now in a good mood, Jigglypuff no longer cared about deciding a talent. It would come to her eventually. If she was truly set on something, she would perform it to the best of her ability.

"Excited?" Link asked.

Jigglypuff nodded vigorously. "I sure am! I'm looking forward to it." She thanked Brewster on the way out for the coffee. Meta Knight was waiting patiently beside the door. Jigglypuff was very pleased to see him, still in a good mood.

"Did you want to go anywhere else?" Jigglypuff asked.

"If you had anything in mind, yes."

Her stomach growled again.

"You should get something to eat," Meta Knight said with concern. Jigglypuff shook her head (also her body).

"I said I was fine."

Meta Knight placed both hands on her shoulders. "The Smash Mansion is quite a distance from here. You need to eat something."

Jigglypuff nodded, giving in. "All right, let's go then." At the same time, she felt uneasy inside. Usually when she was with her friends, they wouldn't ask if she wanted anything to eat, leaving that decision up to her.

_"He must really care about me...but in a different way."_

Meta Knight opened the door for her and in a chivalrous manner, he pushed out Jigglypuff's chair. She smiled at him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said, taking at seat himself.

"Can I get you two anything?" the waitress asked.

"I'll just have a salad," Jigglypuff replied. "And a coke."

"What about you?" the waitress asked Meta Knight.

"I am fine, thank you."

Jigglypuff scowled for a brief second. "On second thought, make that two salads and cokes."

Meta Knight's eyes widened. The waitress laughed softly.

"All right, I'll be back in a few minutes." She fluttered her eyelashes at Meta Knight before leaving.

Jigglypuff giggled. "I think she has a crush on you."

"Nonsense." That response made her giggle more. "I refuse to believe that woman feels that way. Why is that so funny?"

"You have a lot of admirers! She must be a fan," Jigglypuff pointed out.

"And how do you know that for sure?"

"She has wearing a shirt with you on it," Jigglypuff said, smiling. "And she was flirting. Did you see her face before she left?"

Meta Knight looked at her with an expression that Jigglypuff would have assumed as pure confusion. She sighed as the waitress returned, wondering how Meta Knight could be so clueless to the basics of a simple flirting gesture.

The waitress returned with two salads and cokes placing them carefully on the table. "Anything else I can get you?"

"He needs a straw," Jigglypuff added.

"Of course he does! I'll get it right away." She winked at Meta Knight before departing. As usual, he remained oblivious.

"Why did you order two salads?"

Jigglypuff nearly facepalmed. She would have expected him to respond to the waitress flirting, not for him to ask about lunch. She took a deep breath. "I don't want you to starve, that's why. Do you like salads?"

"I do. Thank you." The mood lightened instantly. With the straw, the two were ready for their meal. "I never did taste Coke before. Have you?"

"Sure I have. Many times! You haven't...? They're so good. I can't understand why you haven't had one until now," Jigglypuff said after swallowing a mouthful of her salad.

"I am sure you do not want to." He wasn't going anywhere near the subject of his past. "Is Coke your favourite drink?"

"Pretty close. My favourite is ginger ale. Every year, we always have lots of it every Christmas. It's very exciting," Jigglypuff replied.

"What exactly is Christmas?"

Jigglypuff stopped chewing suddenly, her look of pure shock. Meta Knight shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I am sorry..."

She swallowed after what seemed a few minutes. "I thought everyone knew what Christmas was. I was just surprised. You're from a different planet after all. That must be why."

"Indeed. I came here from Dreamland."

A moment was silence swept across the table for a few seconds. "The same planet as Kirby...and Dedede?"

Meta Knight nodded. "The same one."

"I never expected you to be from Dreamland...What's it like there?" Jigglypuff asked, hoping to continue some form of conversation.

"It is a calm place most of the time. Not a lot happens there," Meta Knight said, making sure not to hint at the times when he helped Kirby defeat Nightmare.

"I wouldn't mind visiting Dreamland sometime," Jigglypuff said. "It sounds like a really peaceful place."

"Maybe sometime." He smiled at her. "Did you have anything mind for the Talent Show? I heard you were participating."

"I am...but I don't know what to do. I guess I'll come up with something eventually. I admit, I was a bit freaked out a first, but when I really think about it, I kind of like being onstage."

"You do?" He was taken aback by the optimistic response. "You like performing?"

"I guess I do." She smiled. "What about you?"

"No, not particularly."

"Oh, I didn't know. Is that why you don't want to go to the Talent Show? You're nervous of performing?"

Meta Knight sighed. "No. It is personal. I am not going. There happens to be an occasional on my home planet I promised to attend at the same time as the Talent Show. It is very important to me. I hope you understand."

Jigglypuff nodded. "I promise."

When her back was turned, Meta Knight sighed from relief quietly. He was grateful sometimes that he had practise at acting.


	74. Episode Fifty Eight

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to SSBB.

* * *

**Chapter Seventy Four**

**Episode Fifty Eight**

_Time to Celebrate?_

"Tonight?" Jigglypuff said into her cellphone, expression a mixture of excitement and shock. "But I thought that wasn't until next week."

"The Master Hand changed his mind. He thought we all needed to party before we begin practising our talents. Doesn't that sound like fun?" Peach replied in her usual bubbly tone.

Jigglypuff smiled. "I guess so. But the practise session is only three days away. It doesn't matter anyway. I'm going. It sounds like loads of fun. Count me in. I'll be there."

"How about we dress up? That will make it even more fun!" Peach suggested with eager in her voice.

Jigglypuff thought for a moment. "As long as it doesn't take all night, all right. But this is your idea. I'm making that clear right now. If something bad happens, it's your fault, okay?"

"Don't worry. It'll be fine! Trust me! We'll meet in my bedroom tonight at seven. We'll get ready then. The party doesn't start until nine anyway."

"Sounds good to me," Jigglypuff agreed. "I'm looking forward to it."

Meta Knight eyed Jigglypuff with confusion. What exactly was she talking about on her cellphone? The chatter continued on a few more long minutes.

"Yeah, I'm going to be there shortly. It's lucky I'm in Nintendoville right now," Jigglypuff replied.

Curious, Peach had to know what was going on. "Doing what?"

Jigglypuff giggled softly. "Meta Knight and I had lunch together and we went to the Roost. I thought it was a very enjoyable morning."

"Aw, that was nice of him! Is he coming to the party?" Jigglypuff recognized the eagerness in Peach's voice. She really wanted to know.

"I don't know. I'll have to ask him before we return to the Smash Mansion. He's unpredictable after all."

"What about the Talent Show? Don't tell me he's not going to be there! He's does that every time doesn't he, by not participating in anything."

Jigglypuff sighed, mindlessly fidgeting with her purse. "Nope, not going, though I hate to say it. I was told not too long ago but I wasn't exactly happy."

"Why not? It will be lots of fun!" Peach asked, clearly disappointed by the news.

Jigglypuff had to agree. "I know it will be. That's why I find this hard to understand. Nevermind about that. I should get going now. I'll see you later then, hopefully tonight."

A minute later, Jigglypuff put away her cellphone. "Sorry about that Meta Knight. I didn't mean to take so long. Time flies by pretty quickly doesn't it?"

"I suppose it does. I understand what you mean."

Jigglypuff closed up her purse after counting the remaining money she had left on her. "Do you mind if we visit just one more place? I had plans to go dress shopping for the party tonight. I absolutely have to get one before then!"

Meta Knight was silent for a moment. "A...party? What are you talking about? I do not remember a party being scheduled for tonight."

"The Master Hand was going to have it next week but he changed his mind. I only found out now. I guess we all needed to spend time together and enjoy ourselves," Jigglypuff explained.

"You want to dress up for tonight. I should have known. You do it every time," he said, but to Jigglypuff's relief, he was in a good mood. "You want me to accompany you?"

"Definitely! Are you getting yourself anything?"

"No."

Jigglypuff glanced at him, unsure. "Are you even going? I never can tell when you participate in anything."

After thinking for a moment, he spoke up. "I suppose I can attend. Considering the fact I am not participating in the Talent Show, I see no harm in it."

Jigglypuff smiled warmly. "Thank you. I think you will have lots of fun. But I do suggest you dress up. Everyone else will be. It's not like you'll stick out or anything."

"I do not wish to be a follower of the crowd. To be myself, to do what I feel comfortable with would be in my best interests. To dress up violates those conditions."

"Oh, I...understand," Jigglypuff replied, disappointed. "If it makes you happy then. You don't have to dress up if you don't want to. You'll only be attracting more attention to you though, being the only one not dressed up."

"I do not care," he replied. "You will not change my mind Jigglypuff. I made my decision."

"Fine. Let's go," Jigglypuff said in a defeated tone. Meta Knight was _really_ stubborn. Stubborn to a fault sometimes. "I need to get myself a dress for the party. I can't be late."

"Go ahead. I am not stopping you. You have all afternoon. I'm sure that is enough time." He held the door open, following in after Jigglypuff.

While Jigglypuff took her time looking at dresses, he sat down in a chair, arms folded. He hated dress up shops. How much he wished he wasn't as afraid of hurting Jigglypuff's feelings. It bothered him inside to offend another, even by accident.

He felt his cell phone vibrate from within his cape. He saw Jigglypuff continue to look through the rows of dresses. Deciding Jigglypuff wouldn't be finished anytime soon and wouldn't mind, Meta Knight answered his cell phone.

"Hey Meta Knight, I actually remembered your cell phone number. What are you doing right now?" Ike asked.

Meta Knight frowned. "I am unfortunately stuck in a dress store with Jigglypuff," he replied. "I cannot stand it."

"That is horrible. I feel your pain," Ike said sympathetically. "I hate that place. I was there before. I understand what you mean."

Meta Knight smiled for briefly a second. "It is a relief someone agrees with me. I never liked that place. Is Link still talking about the Talent Show? He seemed excited this morning at the Roost."

"Yeah, a lot. He really wants our jousting act to be a success. Link takes this performance very seriously. At least he is enjoying himself. I wish I could say the same for me."

"What about Marth? How is he holding up?" Meta Knight asked, concerned for the prince.

Ike grinned. "Good so far. He has no problems with Link's idea now. Link really explains his ideas well. Really well though. I wish I didn't find this idea so ridiculous though. I have no idea how to joust."

"I am sure you will be fine," Meta Knight assured him. "However, I believe Jigglypuff cares about the party more than the Talent Show. She's been in here for over an hour so far looking for a single dress. I have no idea how will react at the first practise session. I doubt she has decided what to do."

"She'll most likely panic like she usually does. She hasn't even thought about of an act or team. I wouldn't want to be near her that morning. Thursday, right? That's in three days. Hard to believe isn't it?"

"I agree. But I will not be there. I am not participating. It will not be a concern of mine. I can do without Jigglypuff panicking for one day."

"Man, you're lucky. I hope the Master Hand doesn't notice you gone from the practise session. He'll be furious. He really likes everyone following the rules, you know."

"I am not afraid of a disembodied hand, Ike," Meta Knight said defiantly. "What is the worst that could happen? I do not care about the fans if that is what you are curious about. They never were important to me. You may want to explain that to Link before I lose my mind. He would not stop complaining about it this morning."

"You may want to reconsider not entering. Participation is mandatory. This is a rare event. You need to be there. I know you don't fear the Master Hand but this is going a little too far," Ike said, completely serious.

"What for? To fight another person after another? I only know how to fight Ike. The fans will not appreciate that. I have no reason to show up at all. Do not tell me you are going to complain about it too. I will lose my mind before the practise session if this keeps up."

"I won't. I'm just warning you for your own good. I don't want you to get into trouble."

"I will not be in trouble Ike. I have a plan if necessary. In case the Master Hand was to disapprove of my absence. And Jigglypuff. She would not leave me in peace this morning."

Jigglypuff cleared her throat sharply, startling Meta Knight.

"I think she is done now."

Ike was stunned. "Already? That has to be a record."

"Most likely. I will see you later Ike."

After hanging up and putting his cell phone away, he saw Jigglypuff look at him with a mistrustful frown on her face. "What exactly were you talking about?"

"Nothing much. I see you have finished finding your dress," Meta Knight said as if nothing out of the sort happened.

"Yeah, a new record right?" Jigglypuff said, still frowning.

"That was not me who said that," Meta Knight objected. "Shall we go now since our business here is done?"

Jigglypuff nodded, with folded arms. "Fine. I was done anyway. I'm ready to go back now. _My_ _business here is done._"

"Very well." He opened the door for her but she never looked back his way. Meta Knight only felt worried as she preceded the silent treatment on the way back to the Smash Mansion. It was completely unlike her to be quiet. "Jigglypuff, is there something the matter?"

"No," she whispered, looking down. "Why do you care about that anyway? It is not your concern."

"I am concerned about you. It is unlike you to act like this." He put a hand on her shoulder. "What is bothering you? Does it have to do with the Talent Show?"

"...What were you and Ike talking about on the phone?"

Meta Knight frowned. "What were you and Peach discussing earlier?"

Jigglypuff returned the frown. "Touché."

"I did not mind that you spoke of me. I know for certain you are not the only one who is complaining about my absence this Thursday. Am I right?" He asked her but no trace of irritation in his response.

Jigglypuff looked away. "Please forgive me. I'll stop if that is what you want."

"I do not mind either way. I apologize if anything I said bothered you. Ike was talking most of the time."

"I know that. I didn't mean to treat you so horribly. After what you've done for me today, I had no right to do that to you," Jigglypuff replied. "I'm sorry."

"The feeling is mutual," he replied, removing his hand from her shoulder. "Let's go. You do not want to be late for the party."

"Hey, I have all afternoon don't I? I'll have lots of time to spare!" She smiled brightly. "You're right Meta Knight. Let's go."

* * *

She thought she would have been finished early before the party. The seconds passed by and she still hovered in front of her wardrobe, searching through all her outfits.

"I thought I left it here somewhere," she muttered, tossing other clothes out of her way. "My new dress was here but where did it go? I only have an hour left! What am I going to do?"

Peach would have been with her had she not been held up in an awkward situation with Mario and Bowser. Jigglypuff counted herself lucky she wasn't in her position.

"I'm sure I'll find it. I have to," she whispered, throwing more articles of clothing into piles on the floor.

She gasped when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. Two glowing eyes met hers, noticing her shocked expression. "Did you by any chance forget this?" Meta Knight asked, handing her the new dress she bought.

"H-How did you…"

"It is never a wise decision to leave your purchase on the counter," Meta Knight said, smiling. Jigglypuff's eyes widened.

"How could I have been so blind?" she asked, gazing at the new mess she made on the ground. "How am I going to clean this up?"

"I will be more than happy to do so Jigglypuff. I need to dress up myself," he replied.

"But I thought you said you weren't-"

"I changed my mind. Is that a bad thing?"

Jigglypuff smiled. "No, it isn't. I'm really glad you're going. I think you'll have plenty of fun!" She giggled nervously and looked down. "I could show you around, if you like…so you are not all alone…?"

He chuckled. "I do not see why not. That is very nice of you."

She looked at her dress with uncertainty. "I think I need some help putting it on…"

In a second she could feel the fabric slide around her body in a perfect fit. The fabric was soft on her skin, like Meta Knight's gloved hands. Jigglypuff gazed at Meta Knight in wonder as he finished tying the bow on the back.

"How did you do that so fast? I never could have done that…"

"I have my ways," he said, holding the bedroom door open. "I will be there soon Jigglypuff. I need to get dressed."

"Oh, that's right! Okay, I'll meet you there." Jigglypuff closed the door behind herself leaving Meta Knight to change in privacy. She was surprised to be one of the first ones at the party. She sat down on the chair and hummed along to the music. A second later, she noticed a certain blue hedgehog enter the room.

"You're too slow," she said with a teasing grin. The few others who happened to be there chuckled.

"It was not my fault. There was a brawl in the hallway!" Sonic retorted but Jigglypuff laughed softly.

"Jigglypuff," a certain someone called out. Jigglypuff turned around with wide eyes at the Smasher who stood before the doorway. Even the others were surprised but not to the same extent as Jigglypuff. The clock struck nine, the music beginning to play in the background.

"He actually came to the party?"

"I thought he wasn't going."

"I can't believe it," Jigglypuff said. "He meant it after all."


	75. Episode Fifty Nine

**Chapter Seventy Five**

**Episode Fifty Nine**

_Thursday Morning_

"I promised I would be attending, did I not?" Meta Knight asked, eyes glowing pink from the priceless expression on Jigglypuff's face. She nodded slowly, finally able to recover from her shock.

"You...did say that," she said, afraid to stare at Meta Knight, who was dressed formally for the occasion. She never expected him to dress up in the first place.

"You promised me you would show me around," he continued, eyes still locked with hers.

Jigglypuff's eyes widened. "I completely forgot! Thanks for reminding me. I will show you around like I said I would. I don't break my promises. Follow me." Forgetting that several eyes were focused on them, Jigglypuff led him to the dance floor.

Nearby the dance floor was the buffet table, which the villains decided to gather around much to the misfortune of the other Smashers. The villains were apparently having a meeting about their act for the Talent Show.

"That was a good decision Ganondorf," Bowser said, grinning. "With this, we will be the winners of this Talent Show. It's completely flawless. If there's anything that will get us to victory, it's magic."

"Exactly the reason why I made that decision. It is your responsibility to make it work out. The practise session is in three days. We cannot afford to be late," Ganondorf replied, the same grin on his own face. "I heard some of the Koopas are capable of performing magic. Is it rumour true?"

"It is true they can use magic," Bowser said. "That is how I plan on making this act happen. We'll definitely win if this goes according to plan."

"Are you sure it's going to work? I heard Link is planning a good act," Wolf said, returning from the buffet table. "He's got it figures out from what I've heard."

Ganondorf frowned. "What are you waiting for? If he's talking about it, find out what his performance is."

"No need. I heard about it earlier," Bowser replied, answering for Wolf. "Link's planning on jousting with Marth and Ike." Wario and Dedede, who returned from an hour at the buffet table, burst into gales of laughter.

"That's the most ridiculous act I ever heard of," Wario managed to respond after calming down a bit. "Our act will triumph over theirs no problem."

"Link is really taking this seriously. We shouldn't be too quick to judge him. We want to succeed with this performance. As villains, we will do whatever we can do to thwart the heroes as a team," declared Bowser, a confident grin replacing his frown.

All the villains cheered or high fived each other with the exception of Ganondorf, who was eying Link with resentment.

_"To succeed we need to rid ourselves of our competition. That is exactly what will be done; order, justice and victory."_

**

"How do you think this act is going to turn out?" Link asked, ignoring the cheering villains directly behind him.

"It will be very competitive," Ike warned his friend. "Ganondorf and the others are up to no good again. I have a suspicion this involves the Talent Show. I don't trust them not to cause trouble."

"We'll be fine," Link assured him. "If they try anything dangerous, they'll be banned from the competition. I'm not worried. I know the Master Hand will punish them if necessary."

"I hope you're right," Ike said, his tone maintaining the same worry. "The villains could do something against the rules and not be found out. They did say something about magic earlier. I have a bad feeling about that."

"The Master Hand will find out if they break any rules," Link repeated. "They won't be left unpunished. I am not concerned about the villains anyway. I want to have everything planned by Thursday morning."

"If you say so. You can't say I didn't warn you. Ganondorf looks like he's planning something horrible." Ike motioned to the Gerudo deep in thought.

Link shrugged nonchalantly. "Even if he is, it's not going to work. If they value their chances of remaining in this competition, they should be careful of their every action from now on."

"This isn't a contest Link," Marth reminded him but Link didn't pay attention.

"He thinks he has a chance of winning but we'll prove them wrong. Starting with Thursday Morning, they'll regret ever competing against us." Ike and Marth both shook their heads with disapproval. Link was taking this the wrong way.

"You think we will be the ones in regret?" Ganondorf questioned, almost in a mocking voice. "I find that assumption rather amusing. I heard jousting is your act for the Talent Show. Not exactly the best choice mind you."

Link narrowed his eyes. "We'll see about that Ganondorf. I happen to have had the experience in the past. You will not be laughing long, I promise you."

"My team highly disagrees with you," Ganondorf said, regarding the other villains still laughing hard in their seats. Link folded his arms, an intimidating glare on his face.

"Does your act violate the rules?"

Ganondorf laughed. "No, it does not. Our performance follows every single rule. Ask the Master Hand if you do not believe me. He will tell you the same thing."

Link turned away, leaving the villains to laugh amongst themselves. "I cannot believe them sometimes," he muttered.

"Those two always have to compete against each other all the time," Ike said to Marth. "It gets really annoying after a while."

"It is. They never got along," Marth agreed. "The Talent Show is supposed to be a special occasion to enjoy ourselves and the importance of teamwork, not to go against each other. The Master Hand never said it was a competition."

"It is a competition," Link insisted. "A chance to best Ganondorf and the villains. To show heroes always win."

Ike sighed. "He's hopeless."

**

"Are...you glad you came?" Jigglypuff asked, fidgeting with her dress from excitement and somewhat of being nervous. "You're enjoying yourself, right?"

"Indeed, I am. It would have been a shame not to attend."

_"I wish he'd think about the Talent Show the same way. I know he has a special talent deep down inside,"_ Jigglypuff thought to herself. She smiled at him, masquerading her impeding urge to persist Meta Knight to attend the Talent Show as well. Maybe fighting was the only thing he knew how to do. But that just couldn't be possible. In her eyes, he was gifted towards anything he set his mind to; perfectly without flaw.

She stared mindlessly at the dance floor, lit up with an assortment of rainbow disco lights. Dazzled by the glowing lights, she could feel lightness within herself, as if a mystery once in a fog had now become clear before her very eyes. A smile lifted both corners of her mouth, which vibrated from a gentle hum that passed through her lips.

"You seem like you are enjoying yourself as well," Meta Knight said, immediately interested in the sweet and gentleness of Jigglypuff's humming. Her expression was both a mixture of abashment and shock. He chuckled so softly, she could barely hear it. "You believe I could not hear you?"

Jigglypuff shook away the redness that briefly coloured her face. "That's not it at all. It was an accident!"

"Have you decided what you plan to do for the Talent Show?" Jigglypuff looked up, surprised he would bring that subject up in the first place when he was so definite about not participating or involving himself in the event.

"I thought you didn't care," she said, with a questioning expression etched onto her face. "I got that impression more than a few times since the announcement."

"I do not care to participate myself. That, however, does not answer my question Jigglypuff. Did you decide what to do for Thursday Morning? Is that not the practise session? Correct me if I'm wrong."

Jigglypuff nodded, reminded he wanted nothing to do with the upcoming occasion. "You're right but I haven't made my decision yet. I can't do this performance alone so I'm kind of in a bind right now. I suppose things will work out somehow. I'm still trying, regardless of the odds. Singing is out of the question."

"You are ashamed of having a talented voice?" Meta Knight asked with genuine surprise.

"What are you talking about? My voice isn't...talented. If I sing, everyone will fall asleep," Jigglypuff explained, smiling but equally as sad, a couple of tears forming in the corners of her eyes, shining vibrantly under the surrounding lights.

"I never fell asleep when I heard you sing," he replied. "I know you have talent Jigglypuff."

She laughed softly. "No, not really. What about you? Can you sing?"

He stood as frozen as if he had been frozen in time. "Definitely not."

Jigglypuff folding her arms, not letting his evasive demeanour tell her otherwise. "Have you ever tried Meta Knight when you were not fighting?"

"On a couple of occasions, yes, I did."

"You really tried to sing?" she asked further in an unrelenting tone, deep down inside hoping she would get to hear him sing. For having an amazing voice to merely speak, she couldn't imagine how his singing would be like.

"I suppose singing is not one of your options in the Talent Show," he said, disregarding the question as if it never passed Jigglypuff's lips to begin with. "Do you have a plan at the very least?"

"I don't know what to do Meta Knight," Jigglypuff said, sounding somewhat desperate. "I'm absolutely clueless."

"You will, Jigglypuff. You have three days left."

"Actually, two," she said as the clock struck midnight. "But if you really think I could find something to do, all right."

"I believe in you," Meta Knight replied, the fabric of his black velvet cape brushing against the side of her body as he turned to disappear into the darkness, the party reaching its conclusion.

_"If he believes in me, I will try even harder."_

**Tuesday**

...

...

_"It won't work out either. I guess I'll have to find something else then...if it's even possible."_

_..._

**Wednesday**

**...**

**...**

_"I still haven't made my decision. And the practise session is tomorrow. What am I going to do?_

_This is going to be a nightmare. Especially since I am the only one who hasn't come up with anything besides Meta Knight but he's not even going so that doesn't count. Should I back out while I have the chance, like Meta Knight did?_

_...I-I can't. I'm done for and it is already too late._

_..._

**Thursday Morning**

"Jigglypuff," a voice gently whispered into her ear.

She groaned, stretching out then opened her weary eyes. "Who's there?" she mumbled, half asleep and lost in the world of her dreams. Suddenly alert, she sat up with wide eyes staring at her roommate, clutching tight to her blanket. "Meta Knight, don't scare me like that! I almost had a heart attack!"

"You slept in," he pointed out. "I was sent to awaken you by the Master Hand."

"No way. You can't be serious! What time is it?"

"Ten in the morning," Meta Knight replied.

"The practise session is in two hours and I haven't decided my act yet! What am I going to do?" Jigglypuff gasped, pacing around in repetitive circles.

Meta Knight tightened the grip of his cape. "You did not make a decision?"

Jigglypuff was on the verge of tears. "I couldn't. I'm no good at anything, Meta Knight! I can't do this. I just can't. In two hours, I'll look like a complete idiot in front of everyone."

"Then that leaves only one option left. Follow me Jigglypuff," he ordered, jumping on the windowsill with seemingly no effort.

"But I haven't had breakfast yet!" She protested, holding onto her empty stomach growling as if to agree with her words.

"That can wait," Meta Knight said in a very firm tone. "At the moment, you must do what I say or arrive at the training room without an act to practise. What is your choice?"

"I'll go with you," Jigglypuff said. "Anything to avoid humiliation."

"Then I suggest you hold on tight," he advised. "Because we are flying."

Jigglypuff's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? That has to be a joke."

"I am dead serious Jigglypuff. Hold on. I would not want you to be hurt in the process." He took hold of her hand, gently guiding her towards his side to awaken her from her mental fantasies. She found it hard to breathe as he wrapped his arms around her to secure her body in place, wings replacing his cape.

"All right, let's go. Wherever we are going," Jigglypuff said, smiling, a rush of thrill spreading through every limb of her circular form. "You lead the way."


	76. Episode Sixty

_An actual fast update! (throws confetti) I have absolutely nothing left to do for the rest of the semester so I have way too much free time. I got this done quicker than I thought. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_Disclaimer – Same as usual._

* * *

**Chapter Seventy Six**

**Episode Sixty**

_Unlikely Pair_

"This is amazing Meta Knight!" Jigglypuff said in between gasps of breath taken away by the winds from high in the air. "I really wish I had the ability to fly. I could skip practise sessions whenever I wanted. That'd be great, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, assuming no one finds out. I highly doubt they will but it is best to be extra cautious. The Master Hand does like the rules to be followed," Meta Knight replied, though he had to agree with Jigglypuff as well. They both didn't have to show up without an excuse. The Master Hand should hopefully be too busy to notice the absence of two Smashers.

Jigglypuff laughed as they flew past another forest surrounding a gorgeous emerald lake. "Would you like to go swimming? That looks like a really pretty place."

"If you really insist on it, all right. We have all day to ourselves," Meta Knight said, surprisingly laughing with Jigglypuff instead of remaining in the silent emotionless facade she was accustomed to. Being best friends, they had a strong bond of trust between them. He was exceedingly careful with landing, gliding an inch away from the perfect waves. Jigglypuff couldn't contain her excitement.

"Can we land here?" she asked, eyes big with immense excitement. "I really think this is a good spot."

He smiled behind the mask, slowly dipping into the water, his wings reverting back into his cape. Jigglypuff giggled as the water soaked her whole body. She gazed at Meta Knight in wonder.

"You swim with your armour on?" she asked with astoundment. "Isn't that uncomfortable?"

Taken by surprise with her sudden question, he turned to meet her gaze with expressionless eyes. "It has never been a difficulty Jigglypuff. It is more of a comfort for me to leave it on. Come here," he motioned to her to swim at his side as if to lead her somewhere. She followed, disregarding her uncertainty. She trusted him completely and knew he wouldn't let her be hurt no matter the cost.

"Do you know where we are going? We aren't going to get lost, are we?" Jigglypuff feared disorientation more than being caught for skipping on a practise session.

"We will be fine. I know where we are. I visit this place once in a while to relieve myself. I admit, I do need to relax sometimes," Meta Knight said, laughing again softly.

Jigglypuff couldn't help but be enchanted by the sweet sound of his laugh, how the simplicity of such beauty left her breathless and rendered her of words. "Um, okay. That's good to hear."

His cheerful mood switched to concern for a moment. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I am. I'm fine," Jigglypuff replied, gently proceeding forward in the waves with small and smooth strokes. "I'll race you to the shore over there. How about it?"

"I accept your challenge. We shall race if you feel you are up to it." He swam by her side, eyes pink. "Are you sure you are ready?"

"I am. I'm ready for anything right now. Let's go!" Jigglypuff commanded, beginning to push her way through the waves.

Following behind was Meta Knight, who joined her at her side with ease. With one simple stroke through the water, he passed her by several inches at a time. Jigglypuff couldn't believe it. He was incredible at swimming, a living example of perfection itself.

She turned to gaze at him, only to see he was sitting down on the shore, waiting patiently for her to arrive at the finish line. Scowling, she made it after a couple long minutes of endless stroking. "That was not fair. You're much better than me."

"I was merely taking my time. Is it my fault you were too slow?" he asked, teasingly.

Jigglypuff immediately heard Sonic saying "You're too slow," in her mind and shuddered. "I guess so. Next time, I will beat you. That is a promise."

Meta Knight squeezed more water out of his cape. "Really?" He chuckled, eyes a brilliant shade of pink. "I find that rather amusing."

Jigglypuff shoved him playfully. "You won't be saying that next time Meta Knight. I mean it."

He waded back in the water. "Prove it to me Jigglypuff. Right now."

Jigglypuff thought for a moment. "Why not? Bring it on. Meta Knight?" She looked around her frantically, fearing for a moment he had drowned. Just as she was about to panic, she saw his body rise up from the water on the other side of the lake. His laughter echoed through the entire area. Jigglypuff's face flushed red.

"What's so funny? I wasn't ready!"

"You insisted you were. How unusual. I suppose you are too slow after all. I proved to be correct," Meta Knight confirmed with a smile on his face.

"I am not too-Where did you go?" Jigglypuff had to admit she find Meta Knight's habit of disappearing suddenly very annoying sometimes. She felt a tap on her shoulder. Jigglypuff found herself gazing into his eyes, face a couple inches from hers. She felt her body land in the water and emitted another gasp of shock. "How did you...?"

"Dimensional Cape," he replied as if the answer had been obvious. "It would not be possible for me to swim back here so fast now would it? Follow me. I...want to show you something."

Jigglypuff followed Meta Knight as they both climbed up the steep mountainside which radiated with its natural beauty of lush green grass and clusters of flowers. She really wanted to question how Meta Knight found this place to begin with but it didn't matter. Jigglypuff was grateful he was helping her in the first place escape utter humiliation.

"Do you like you view, Jigglypuff?" He asked, pausing for a moment, waiting for her to respond. She nodded, eyes wide as saucers.

"It's so beautiful. I can see so much from up here. It feels so strange but wonderful to see everything from such a height. I can't describe how amazing this is." The mesmerizing landscape of lush forests and glittering lakes and rivers completely took her by surprise but their beauty seemed to call out to her; as if the land and Jigglypuff were meant to unite with each other.

Meta Knight laid on the ground, breathing in and out deeply. "I do agree is it beautiful, Jigglypuff. I was surprised myself when I first discovered this place." He patted the ground beside him with his gloved hand. Getting the message, Jigglypuff lay next to his still body.

"When did you find this place?" she asked, her hand inching towards Meta Knight, who didn't seem to notice.

"Not too long ago. Perhaps a month. I do not remember." He sighed contentedly. "I enjoy it here myself. You will have to remind me to bring you here again sometime."

"I'll be sure to do that Meta Knight. Why would I decline such an offer?" Her hand rested on his for a moment before she realized what she was doing. Face red, she pulled away gently before Meta Knight could notice. "We should visit this place again sometime. Together. I'd really like that."

He sat up from the ground. "I feel exactly the same way. Perhaps next weekend we could visit again? That would only be two days away now would it?"

"Yeah...do you know what time it is now? Is the practise session over?" Jigglypuff asked, glancing up at the sunny sky. "I guess it's still afternoon. When does the session end anyway?"

"Three in the afternoon," Meta Knight replied. "We still have plenty of time to ourselves." He took hold of her hand, lifting Jigglypuff up from the grass. She blushed the entire time his hand touched hers. She looked away so Meta Knight couldn't see the red complexion lingering in her cheeks.

"How about we swim again? I did enjoy that," Jigglypuff reminded her friend. He nodded, agreeing with her idea.

"I do advise we do not race. Would it not be a given who would win?" He asked innocently but with a trace of teasing. Jigglypuff gently shoved him playfully.

"I'm not too slow," she reminded him. "You're way too fast."

The lake was much more entertaining than Jigglypuff had thought it to be than when she first took a glance at it. The beauty of the natural environment was still stunning in her eyes. She couldn't describe it in words, the calm shining waters alluring to her mind and leaving her every possible way of speaking.

Witnessing a breathtaking sight was only done by experience.

"Meta Knight, you said before you only knew how to fight," Jigglypuff began, hoping this conversation wouldn't ruin the mood and bring it to a defeated close. "I know you have talents. You can swim really well. What else can you do?"

He looked towards her, showing no signs of dismissing her words. "I am unsure myself Jigglypuff. I never had thought about it before. I only learned how to swim as a technique and factor of survival, not for my own leisure. I understand how much you want me to give this Talent Show a chance but for my own reasons, I cannot do that. I said before my opinion of the subject."

"The Master Hand will be angry. You have so much fans out there looking forward to seeing you onstage. I...would be upset if you got in any trouble not participating."

"You agreed on skipping the first practise session with me. Does that mean you are backing out?" Jigglypuff's eyes widened.

"Of course not! I need more time to make my decision! Three days is not enough to come up with an act. I honestly don't know how Link or Ganondorf do it."

"Competition. From what I hear, those two always tried to best each other. Back on the subject, you agreed on skipping the practise session. Three days is more than enough time to come up with some possibilities Jigglypuff. With so much talent, I was surprised to hear you had not made a decision."

"I will enter the Talent Show but by then, it would be too late to come up with anything! I'm hopeless Meta Knight. Maybe I should back out with you."

"Do not follow my path. I have my reasons for my absence. You do not. Not someone as talented as you are. Make the most out of this opportunity Jigglypuff." His eyes met hers, the gaze between the two suddenly intensifying.

Jigglypuff smiled, embarrassed. "You think I have talent? A weak Pokemon like me...?"

"You are not weak," Meta Knight objected, tone suddenly serious, as he put both hands on her shoulders. "Do not let yourself believe otherwise. No one said you were weak. Inside, you are strong, heart the strongest out of everyone else in the tournament."

She could picture both of them standing under the disco lights on the dance floor. It was as if her desire for answers had been fulfilled and everything seemed to be turning in the correct direction. In her mind, the fogginess that had once been a mystery was finally clear, leaving her with her option.

"What if...I wasn't as weak...with a companion?" she asked, hoping Meta Knight would get the hint. "You know...together, working as a team...?" The atmosphere suddenly drifted from merry to an eerie tension that sent shivers down her back.

"What exactly do you mean by that? By a companion?" He didn't sound irritated but concerned.

Jigglypuff bit her lip. "I meant you. By my side...working together, companions, partners for this..." She closed her mouth, preventing more absolute nonsense from escaping past her lips. "Forgive me...Meta Knight. I know that is asking too much."

"You want me as your partner for the Talent Show?" He asked, completely understanding her point. "How long have you wanted to ask me? You could have done so all along. I would not have minded."

"...You're...actually...willing to go with me? But I thought you would say no."

"As a friend, I am willing to be at your side. I promise that Jigglypuff, with all my heart. When we return to the Smash Mansion, inform the Master Hand that we are together for this occasion. The act is for you to decide. That is my only condition."

"That's mean," she said, pouting briefly. "But thanks Meta Knight. I hope I do get an idea."

"I know you will but keep in mind this will not be an easy performance. We have to be capable of this act. An entire reputation in the tournament depends on it. I know you will make the right choice Jigglypuff." He swam back to shore, assisting Jigglypuff to stand again after being in the water for so long. "Shall we go now?"

Jigglypuff smiled, taking one last glance at the exotic wilderness surrounding her. "Let's go Meta Knight. I'm as ready as I'll ever be."


	77. Episode Sixty One, Part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

**Chapter Seventy Seven**

**Episode Sixty One, Part One**

_Awkward_

The Master Hand really took the Talent Show seriously.

Seriously, interpreting to the importance of punctuality. And he expected perfect attendance when it came down to roll call when the Smashers all met in the training room. Everything seemed normal at first. All the Smashers entered the room without making much of a disturbance. The Master Hand finished filling out some paperwork, glad to see so many of the Smashers on time.

Some of them carried necessary props or equipment required for their act. The villains huddled in a corner as if discussing something very important they desired to keep secret from the others. The Master Hand paid their suspicious behaviour no mind but checked off names on the attendance list.

"Very good. I see all of you managed to get here on time. I am very impressed. If we do this every practise session, this will be a very successful event."

"I didn't see Meta Knight or Jigglypuff on the attendance list," Marth whispered, the clock striking nine. "Do you think the Master Hand knows they are not coming?"

Ike made sure the Master Hand was busy talking to others before replying. "I know what you mean. If he knew they weren't coming, he'd have a fit. It's fortunate they are not on the attendance list. He won't know they are skipping."

"They're skipping?" Link asked, in a whisper, being let in on the secret too. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Meta Knight told me he wasn't going. But Jigglypuff...I just can't see her not showing up. She's really excited about this. I don't understand," Marth replied, worried. "I really hope those two don't get in trouble."

"But how could they have been erased from the attendance list? I never heard of such a thing happening before!" Ike said, glancing uncertainly at the Master Hand. "He wouldn't have done it himself. Who could have...done that?"

"Who knows? Whoever it is must be on our side. Hopefully," Link said, trying to sound positive.

"Now that all of you seemed to be prepared, you may spend the next few hours practising your acts at your own pace. There should be enough room in here for all of you. If you have any concerns, ask me." The Master Hand happened to look towards the window at the same time as the jousting trio.

Marth gasped softly when he saw Meta Knight and Jigglypuff flying in the air. "What do we do? The Master Hand will see them. They're going to be in trouble."

"Not if I can help it," Ike assured him. "Master Hand, look over there! An obvious distraction!"

"What are you talking about Ike?" Master Hand said, turning around to look at the wall, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. "You should be-no, don't do that!" He suddenly shouted at the villains who almost flattened Sonic on the ground.

Link looked out the window. "Ike, Marth, they're gone now. Good job Ike."

"No problem. It seems both of them are skipping. I guess Jigglypuff couldn't come up with an act. I do feel sorry for her. She really wanted to take part in the Talent Show. Did you see how excited she was three days ago?" Ike asked. Marth and Ike remembered it too well; the enthusiastic demeanour, cheerful smile and upbeat attitude. Jigglypuff loved to participate.

"Meta Knight was never a social guy. He likes to be by himself most of the time," Link said, knowing how distant the round knight could be. "I wasn't surprised he decided not to go...not that much, at least."

"You were surprised Link. We were at Brewster's when all of us found out," Marth reminded Link, who recalled choking on his coffee with a shudder.

"He's going to get found out eventually. And Jigglypuff. Even if the Master Hand doesn't notice them gone this time, they won't be so lucky next practise session. If someone hadn't sabotaged the attendance list, the Master Hand would be in a really bad mood," Link replied. "We have to do something to stop them from getting caught, but what?" During their conversation, they had no clue a certain cardboard box had disappeared from the room.

"What are you three talking about?" the Master Hand said, happening to pass by to see them not doing anything except whispering to one another.

"Strategies. Don't want to let the other teams know what we're doing yet," Link said. "It's part of the competition."

"It's not a competition," Marth reminded him. "And the others already know about our act. It's quite well known."

"Crap," Link muttered.

"I suggest you practise your act. You don't even have two months to fully prepare. Use your time wisely," the Master Hand warned. Link sighed with relief, seeing him go.

"I thought for certain he would have found out. What will happen if Meta Knight and Jigglypuff are caught skipping the next session?" Link asked. Ike handed him a piece of paper he found on the nearly desk.

"I think this explains the consequences very well," Ike replied, a grim expression on his face. Link eyed the long list with microscopic pupils and an outraged expression.

"No, he wouldn't!" Link protested. "This is complete tyranny! I can't believe the Master Hand! This has to be some kind of joke. It has to be. What will happen to Meta Knight and Jigglypuff?"

Ike shook his head with concern. "No good will come out of this Link. They will be caught before they know it. I'm surprised the Master Hand hasn't figured it out already."

"Exactly what are you up to?" asked a voice from under a reappearing cardboard box.

"Nothing," Link fibbed, hiding the piece of paper in his tunic. "Just strategizing."

"If you say so," Snake said before his codec started beeping again.

"We should find somewhere else to practise," Marth advised. "It wouldn't be safe with so many people here. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"All right. I'm more than ready to get out of here," Link whispered as the Master Hand glanced at them again with potential suspicion.

"We've practised for a few hours Link. I think we need a rest," Marth said, completely out of breath.

"Fine," he said, jumping off from his makeshift horse. "I wish I brought Epona with me. That thing was torture."

"I'm glad you didn't," Ike said under his breath out of Link's earshot. "Do you think this act is really going to work? Jousting seems a little...different."

"I'm pleased with my idea," Link said cheerfully. "Our act will be better than Ganondorf's. I happen to think using magic is cheap. With our act, we don't need magic to make it happen. I want to win this competition more than anything."

Marth and Ike looked at each other, sighing, each wearing the same _"He's hopeless," _expression on their faces.

"Link, could I see that paper again?" Ike asked, holding out his hand. Link nodded.

"Sure, just for a minute though. I wasn't finished reading it yet," Link agreed.

"I admit, that is...rather twisted," Marth said, wincing after reading the paper. "I sure hope Meta Knight and Jigglypuff know what they are doing. We have to get them to participate. I don't them to get in trouble. Especially after reading this."

"Do you think we should return it to the Master Hand?" Ike asked. "After all, it was his to begin with."

"And turn ourselves in for stealing it, I mean, taking it without asking?" Link said, quickly correcting himself. "No. No way. Give it back to me. I'll keep it safe."

"Keeping is safe, as in, not letting anyone else see it or telling them about it?" Ike said, not quite trusting the Hylian swordsman.

Link nodded, tone sincere and serious. "You have my word. No other soul will be reading this. What about Meta Knight and Jigglypuff though?"

"They should know, yes. It will provide them with evidence their actions are risky," Marth agreed, in the same serious mood. "The Master Hand has a very twisted mind to have come up with these punishments."

From behind the bushes, the villains high fived each other.

"We did it!" Wario said, laughing once the three swordsmen were completely gone. "We fooled them!"

"Are you going to rat those puffballs out?" Wolf asked Ganondorf who was grinning widely.

"Perhaps. Should I tell on them, I would love to see our competition completely confuse those puffballs first. I do wish those rules were the actual ones though. The Master Hand does not go far enough with his punishments," he replied, chuckling. "Framing the Master Hand does sound like a good idea. Rather entertaining."

"Yep, this is going to work out. Those heroes won't know what hit them," Bowser said, laughing with the other villains. "In the meantime, I'm going to get the cameras ready. This will be a show we will never forget. Would add some excitement to this mundane routine here. Dedede will be in charge of the filming after this."

Dedede grinned at the thought of his new job. Nothing would be more amusing than tattling on a blueberry and framing a certain disembodied right hand. "This is gonna be fun," he said, completely pleased with the villains decision.

"That was really amazing Meta Knight," Jigglypuff said, as they landed on the windowsill, still soaked from the swimming in the lake. He smiled, gently putting her back down on the ground.

"I am glad you enjoyed yourself. So did I," he replied, finding a comfortable place to sit down on the windowsill, pushing his wet cape out of the way. The sunset shined upon Meta Knight's mask, making it seemingly glow a gorgeous fiery orange.

"_He looks...so beautiful in the sunset," _Jigglypuff thought, giggling to herself, looking in the bathroom cupboards for a towel to dry her dripping body. _"Then again, he always looks beautiful...handsome." _Butterflies fluttered erratically in her stomach as she peeked out the door to gaze at Meta Knight when she knew for certain he wasn't looking.

When they were spending time together in the lake, the mountainside, she hadn't really noticed his beauty when they were swimming. Jigglypuff sighed, leaning against the wall, trying to remember what it felt like, to swim alongside with Meta Knight. Then a flood of relief nearly drowned out her other existing thoughts.

"_I'm going to the Talent Show with Meta Knight. He's actually going...but I have to come up with the entire act. How am I going to do this? When we were swimming, flying...he was graceful. I admire that. I find that...talented...hmmm, talented..."_

She could imagine the flashing colours of the disco lights brightening the dance floor again. It seemed like the ideal way for her dream to come true, perhaps a phenomenal act. Hands holding hands in the spotlight surrounded by excited fans...Nothing could be better than a fantasy transformed to reality.

Jigglypuff wanted to make it happen. She planned on signing both of them up before the day ended. Before the dinner rush hour began and while it was still calm, she saw this as her chance to sign up before they were noticed absent from the list. The Master Hand always kept it on the door, under high surveillance. Very soon, she would be signed up without anyone noticing they had skipped earlier.

She had reached the Master Hand's office when she noticed something immediately out of place. No paper on the door. It was gone without a trace of its existence. She pressed her hand against the door, breathing in deeply. There had to be some kind of mistake.

As her skin made contact with the metal, the alarms on the door suddenly blared as if to alert the Smash Mansion of an intruder. She gasped, eyes watering.

"_What am I going to do!"_

The villains grinned from a distance with cameras in their hands from their newfound success.


	78. Episode Sixty One, Part 2

_I decided to get these chapters done much faster. Updating once a week will take too long so I'm going to try two chapters a week instead of one. I had fun writing this chapter:D The fun really begins now..._

_Disclaimer: Same thing as usual_

* * *

**Chapter Seventy Eight**

**Episode Sixty Two, Part 2**

_Rumours_

"You got the signup sheet?" Bowser asked Wolf, who held up the paper with a triumphant grin.

"Got it. I can't believe the puff actually touched the door! The Master Hand always had that thing surrounded in high security. I'm surprised she even did that. I guess that's a bonus. Very soon, she will be caught and we'll have a new video," Wolf said, joining in the laughter of his teammates.

"Can you say blackmail?" Dedede asked, grinning. He couldn't forget his job being in charge of the video productions.

Jigglypuff ran away as fast as her feet could carry her. The volume of the alarms hurt her ears. She eyed a storage closet with a look of immense relief. Never had one of those been so conveniently placed before. The Master Hand usually put them in an unlikely, unvisited location. She closed the door, the alarms drowned out by the four secure walls enclosing her in the small comforting closet.

Her hand fumbled across a light switch and flipped it on. The closet had been much larger than she predicted it to be, given the impression its size would be much less than the walls allowed her to see. The very spacious room was filled along the walls with various props, costumes and other equipment.

Jigglypuff slid into a shiny sky blue dress that fit her form quite nicely. She smiled, holding the garment close to her skin. This material was perfect for her plan, her act; flexible and attractive. She stepped back and forth, the fabric smoothly moving with the curves of her body. Jigglypuff couldn't have been more amazed. She didn't need to go shopping after all. She found her perfect dress.

"But what about props?" she muttered to herself. "Do I really need those? No, if the stage is set up properly, it should be fine. Yes, it will be fine."

The gown was so perfect. Having the perfect outfit, she hunted through the accessories to find some that matched her dress.

She found a shimmering blue rose accessory shining in the light as if it had been calling out to her. She tucked it behind her ear, trying to find a mirror to look at her reflection. A full body size length one was found under a pile of clutter. Jigglypuff was never this satisfied going shopping before. Instead of spending endless hours browsing through rows full of dresses, all she had to do was look through a storage closet. Why hadn't she noticed it until now?

"_It doesn't matter," _she thought to herself. _"I got my outfit now. I'm ready for the Talent Show...in terms of my ensemble of course. I haven't really signed me and Meta Knight up yet..."_

Then it hit her. The reason she was hiding here in the first place. She creaked the door open a little bit to see what was going on. The alarms were no longer blaring out through the halls. Rather, the Master Hand was lecturing Sonic who unfortunately happened to pass by at the wrong moment.

"I told all of you so many times to leave my office alone. I thought there was an intruder in here. Do you understand how serious this is Sonic? I would have expected better from you. The Smashers were all in a panic," the Master Hand spoke in a rare serious and disappointed tone. Jigglypuff inwardly thanked the existence of the wondrous closet that saved her from an unimaginable punishment.

"Master Hand, you've got this all wrong! I wasn't even here when the alarms went off. It's a misunderstanding," Sonic protested.

"Please wait in my office. I'll make sure we discuss matters then since you were so keen on visiting it in the first place," the Master Hand commanded.

Jigglypuff noticed while Sonic was entering the office, at the same time being followed by a cardboard box. Jigglypuff, seeing her chance, decided to make a run for it, forgetting about the signup sheet ordeal altogether. She had a special practise time of her own.

The moment she opened the door, she found herself being confronted by Meta Knight. "Jigglypuff, where were you? We were all worried about you!"

"I'm sorry! I..." She couldn't tell him they were in trouble. The Master Hand would notice them absent from the attendance list and the signup sheet.

Meta Knight opened his mouth to respond when he noticed her outfit shimming in the sunset. "Exactly where have you been? Where did you find that dress?"

"Um, the storage closet," Jigglypuff admitted. "It had loads of stuff in there."

"You look so beautiful," he said, with admiration in his voice. "It matches your eyes."

She couldn't believe Meta Knight complimented her like that. Sure, they were friends but she kept thinking about the possibility of something much deeper than that. His hand briefly stroked along the fabric of the dress. Jigglypuff felt her stomach flutter, even if the touch was merely out of curiosity.

"I assume that is what you will be wearing for the Talent Show," he said, smiling. "It is perfect for you and that gorgeous accessory."

Jigglypuff blushed, not expecting Meta Knight to like her outfit so much. Inside, she felt much better about wearing it if he felt so strongly it looked good on her. "That's exactly right. Since we missed the practise session today, did you want to have one...in our bedroom?"

"I have no problem with it, but what exactly what did you decide for our act?" Meta Knight asked her.

Jigglypuff reached for his hand. "Dancing," she replied. "It took me so time to figure it out but it felt like the right choice. You don't mind, do you? I hope not."

"No, it is fine," he said, trying to recover from shock. "I have no objections to your decision." His hand reached for hers, holding it in a warm and gentle grasp. "If you are up to practising, what kind of dance did you have in mind we try tonight?"

"As a warm up, maybe a slow dance," Jigglypuff replied, thinking of the first thing that came to her mind. Meta Knight nodded, completely relieved inside. He couldn't admit to her that he had no idea how to dance. At least a slow dance would help him learn without Jigglypuff finding out the truth. He refused to let her down after she spent so much time and effort to decide an act.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," he agreed, putting his hands on her waist. Jigglypuff felt her face burn as she put her own hands on his shoulders. They were about to take their first step when their inconveniently unlocked door opened, revealing three highly surprised swordsmen. Meta Knight immediately let go of Jigglypuff, eyes purple.

"What are you doing here?" he asked irritably, hating the moment being ruined. "Could you not see I was busy?"

"You were busy, I agree with that," Ike teased him. "But that's beside the point. Supper's being served and we couldn't find you anywhere. What held you up?"

"I think we already know that answer," Link said, chuckling but stopped when Meta Knight withdrew Galaxia. "Nevermind. We're going now. Sorry if we interrupted something."

"I tried to get them to leave you two alone but they wouldn't listen to me," Marth whispered to them as Link and Ike left. Meta Knight nodded, understanding.

The door closed, but the moment had already been ruined. Meta Knight's eyes still glowed a bright shade of purple; a colour Jigglypuff had never seen before. She was about to question his strange behaviour when he dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

"You go ahead without me. I need to be alone for a while," he said, without looking her way. "Go. I am not hungry."

Jigglypuff sighed from defeat and left the room with crushed spirits. When everything had gone so perfectly, why did it all have to crash down and shatter into several pieces? Her stomach didn't want food anymore than Meta Knight's.

"I can't go. I'm not hungry," Jigglypuff replied. "I just can't." But as she turned around, she found that Meta Knight disappeared completely from sight. She collapsed on her bed, burying her face against her pillow, squeezing it tightly. How could Ike and Link interrupted her special moment like that? Why didn't they listen to Marth? Why couldn't her anger subside? That wasn't the main question she wanted to shut out form her mind.

"_Why did I want to touch Meta Knight so much? We're only friends. This...weird feeling shouldn't be happening? What is happening to me? Am I going insane?"_ She and Meta Knight were close friends for quite a while but he showed no interest that it would go further than that. Maybe he wanted absolutely nothing to do with her in the first place.

She wanted to go to sleep and wake up as if this never happened. Jigglypuff put the dress and accessory in her dresser where she could never see them, hopefully, again. She was a fool to even decide on something as ridiculous as dancing. It would only split apart the friendship she had with Meta Knight.

"Maybe I should quit after all. I'll come up with some kind of excuse and leave the Smash Universe until this Talent Show is over. I can't do this. I thought I could...but..." She felt like breaking down, face still pressed against the pillow, restricting the air she could breathe in. If Ike and Link wanted to tell her something, she wanted to know what it was.

"_I'm going to get to the bottom of this right now."_ She proceeded to the cafeteria as if the incident never occurred at all. Keeping calm was the most important factor now.

Ignoring the strange, odd looks she was receiving, she easily found the table the swordsmen always hung around. They immediately became quiet when Jigglypuff approached them.

"Don't hurt us!" Ike protested. "We had no idea we were interrupting something! Honest!"

"I know," Jigglypuff said, without any emotion. "I wish to know what was so important you wanted to tell me earlier."

They relaxed immediately. "All right, but it's very important." Link's voice became a whisper. "It has to do with the Talent Show. The very consequences that result by not showing up. They are pretty serious. I found them during practise session this morning. You may want to look at this."

Jigglypuff read the piece of paper, pupils shrinking with every bit that comprehended in her mind. "This is horrible. No wonder why you tried to warn us earlier. I can't believe the Master Hand would do this! He's...insane! I've got to tell Meta Knight right away!"

"Are you sure you two aren't a couple? It sure seemed like it when we saw you upstairs," Ike asked, much to Jigglypuff's dismay, and in range of other's hearing.

"Shut up," she hissed. Ike took a step backwards.

"I was just asking," he defended himself. "A lot of people around here have been saying the same thing."

"What. Did. You. Say?" She asked them, jaw dropping. "Me and Meta Knight are only friends. Let me make that clear right now. We don't like each other in any way beyond friendship! What's gone into your twisted minds!?"

"You get along pretty well," Link said, not believing a word she said.

"As friends, you freak," she snapped at him. "I'm out of here. I can't stand any of you anymore. Just leave me alone!"

"Smooth move freak," Ike said as Jigglypuff ran out of the now-silent cafeteria. "She's really mad at you. I mean it Link. It's not pretty when Jigglypuff's angry."

"But it makes sense they like each other. Opposites attract don't they?" Link asked. "A lot of people believe it. So do I. Is there something wrong with that?"

The villains chuckled, viewing the footage they managed to get on camera. Sonic getting in trouble with the Master Hand was completely priceless. Thanks to their videos, everything was going according to plan. Their most famous rumour spread much faster than they thought it would.

"Where did you put the signup sheet?" Bowser asked.

"I have it right here," Wolf said, reaching into his pockets but found they were empty. "We might have a problem, guys. Something has gone seriously wrong. The signup sheet's gone!"


	79. Episode Sixty Two

_I didn't think this chapter would be long enough but I managed to get enough ideas. I hope you like it. I was pleased with how this turned out._

_Disclaimer: Same thing as usual_

* * *

**Chapter Seventy Nine**

**Episode Sixty Two**

_Withdrawn Socially_

"What do you mean the signup sheet is gone? I thought you promised not to lose it," Ganondorf replied to Wolf's frantic response. "If you truly lost it, our plan can no longer be put into action. You don't want to be responsible for this to foil, do you?"

Wolf shook his head in protest. "It's not my fault it disappeared! I can't monitor it twenty four-seven!"

Dedede withdrew his mallet in a threatening manner. Wolf sunk down in a split second. "I reckon you are in trouble."

The room temperature felt like it dropped ten degrees as Jigglypuff passed them, fuming angrily from the rumour they had spread, their most famous one. They froze until she was completely out of sight.

"She's really that mad over one rumour?" Bowser asked, no words to describe how he was feeling. "I'll never understand that puff. I never did."

"I did not spread a rumour," Ganondorf objected, grinning. "I revealed a fact. It wasn't exactly hard to figure out the puff is falling for the blueberry. According to Link and Ike, they were dancing not too long ago. Holding each other. That is evidence in itself."

"You're telling me you believe Link?" Wolf piped up, completely taken aback. Ganondorf glared at him the second the words left his mouth.

"No, idiot. I trust Ike's judgment when he happened to recall what he saw. Ike is more reliable than Link. He was also there when it happened," Ganondorf corrected him.

"But what will you do now without the signup sheet? You can't rat out the puffballs unless you have the evidence. The plan can't work out anymore," Wario pointed out, causing Ganondorf's left eye to twitch while he mumbled something inaudible.

Around the corner, Kirby smiled, holding the signup sheet in his stubby hands, running in the opposite direction. Completely bored, he inhaled the sheet, going back to the cafeteria for another snack.

* * *

A Month Later...

July 12th

* * *

By now, most of the teams were getting their acts together and training hard whenever they found the opportunity. Due to several near injury accidents, the Master Hand gave in to letting the Smashers practise anywhere appropriate. Dancing was not a problem in the bedroom. The Master Hand found them on his signup sheet, agreeing to let them practise alone. He heard about the rumour as well but had no clue to how it formed in the first place. With a month gone, it did not matter to them as much. Evidence unable to be provided, the villains plan was defeated the story faded pretty fast.

"Jigglypuff, are you all right?" Meta Knight asked her, as she continued to space out while they were slow dancing in private, the door tightly locked to prevent another rumour from occurring.

Jigglypuff's pupils amplified twice their original size. "Were you talking to me?"

"Yes, I was. Is there something on your mind? I am very concerned about you. This has been happening for quite a while now," Meta Knight asked, stopping all movements, standing still, hands firmly on Jigglypuff's shoulders.

"I've...been absorbed in my own world," she admitted, face flushing red. Meta Knight noticed the colour of her face with a sudden reaction of worry.

"Are you feeling well?" he asked, putting his hand on her forehead to check her temperature. She giggled, taking Meta Knight by surprise. He pulled away, his concern for her mental health escalating by the second. "What is the matter?"

"I'm fine Meta Knight!" she replied. "What did you think was wrong with me anyway?" He paused awkwardly, unsure of his own judgment.

"Nothing. Do not worry about it," he said, dismissing the subject altogether. Jigglypuff laughed softly, leaning forward onto Meta Knight's shoulder. He stiffened, immediately self conscious. He found himself unable to respond to her odd behaviour. She never tried to touch him in this manner before. Something was truly wrong with her.

"Meta Knight, are you enjoying yourself?" she asked, smiling, eyes shining in the fading light of the sunset. He opened his mouth only to hear a soft sound escape his lips. Was it a laugh or perhaps a very quiet giggle?

"I am," he whispered, taking steps back and forth again. Jigglypuff caught on and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, sighing contentedly.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" she asked, transfixed on his sky blue eyes. He laughed softly.

"I agree," he replied, holding Jigglypuff closer to his body. She snuggled up to him, both too caught up in the moment to realize what they were doing. She joined in his laughter, her arms embracing him in the form of a hug, no longer concentrating on the Talent Show. "You are a very graceful dancer Jigglypuff. This was a perfect choice for act. I am very proud of you."

She giggled, one hand reaching for the strap of his mask. He normally would have pulled away by instinct but so absorbed in his fantasies, he could not find the will to ruin the moment. Her hand slid under the metal, not bothering to figure out the complex straps holding the mask to his face.

Instantly, his face flushed a rosy shade of deep pink, his senses returning to control again. He took a step back, Jigglypuff's hand returning to her side. She let it drop back its original position, icy terror freezing her insides, her stomach turning nauseatingly. His eyes flashed light purple briefly before he spoke again.

"That was out of line," he told her, each word cutting deep into her heart. "What was it you were attempting to accomplish by taking my mask off?"

Jigglypuff gasped, staring at him in utter disbelief. "I...nearly...did what? I'm sorry! How rude it was of me to do that. I had no right to touch your mask!"

Meta Knight lessened up a little, noticing she was just as surprised as he was on the internally. "Oh...do not worry about it. I was not angry with you, only..."

"Shocked? I was too," she said, voice radiating with understanding, eyes meeting Meta Knight's in deep trust. "But...I cannot forgive myself. I was violating your privacy. I am very sorry!"

A bright flash silenced the room before Meta Knight had a chance to voice his response. He glared at the source of the cause as if knowing what had happened while Jigglypuff stared at him, still stunned and broken within.

"Meta Knight, what exactly was that?" His eyes flashed red as his cape turned into his wings. Jigglypuff took a step back, still in shock of how real those wings appeared from a close perspective.

"I believe we have an intruder. A spy to be more precise. Wait here Jigglypuff. I will investigate this matter," he replied, standing on the windowsill, reminding her so much of their time together when they had skipped the practise session four weeks ago.

"Meta Knight," Jigglypuff began just as he flew out of sight. She sighed, fidgeting with her hands. "Please be careful," she muttered, collapsing on her bed.

He stood on the room, hand shading his eyes from the bright blazing sunset showering the sky with several shades of yellow, orange and cherry red. He took each step forward with caution, remembering the roof was not the safest place to stand. He could hear the faint sound of a shingle falling out of place but to him, it was not a concern. No sign of a living being could be detected.

"Was it my imagination?" he whispered to himself, refusing to believe no one had been spying on them at all. He slowly took a seat on the warmed shingles. "Maybe I am losing my mind with the Talent Show arriving in a couple weeks. Why can I not distract my mind from this...feeling that pursues me inside?" He spoke to himself out loud, thoughts that were meant to stay within his mind.

"She is very beautiful. I cannot resist her company, though I always preferred to be alone. What is wrong with me?" he asked, holding onto the strap of his mask. "Was it truly wrong of her to be simply curious? Or was I...too afraid?"

Another white flash startled him. He turned in the direction of the light to see a camera being held by Dedede. His eyes were a burning shade of red as he withdrew his sword.

"_That penguin will regret this very soon," _Meta Knight thought, his wings reappearing. Dedede felt his balance disappear as one foot stepped too far from the edge.

"_I should have turned off the flash," _he thought, before screaming as he proceeded to fall off the roof into a group of bushes. Meta Knight scooped up the camera Dedede dropped, eyes glowing a deep forest green.

What exactly had the overweight villain recorded? A photo and video camera were both in his hands, threatening to crush them both, furious he never knew the villains were spying on him but for what purposes? Blackmailing was a very likely possibility...His eyes widened. Could they be the cause for the rumour he and Jigglypuff seemed like a couple?

"_Those...unbelievable villains," _he thought as he flew back to the bedroom, careful with the cameras. Jigglypuff sighed with relief to see Meta Knight return safely.

"I'm so glad you're all right! Did you see who it was?" Jigglypuff piped up, curiosity overwriting her previous worry. Meta Knight handed her the cameras.

"The villains were spying on us," he replied, unable to disguise the anger in his voice. "They were responsible for the rumours."

Jigglypuff's face turned red, completely enraged, the answer being obvious the whole time. "I'll bet they were responsible for this too," she replied, holding out the list of consequences. "The Master Hand is not that insane. He would never do any of this to us."

Meta Knight nodded. "I agree. I believe we discovered the perpetrators."

"You have to be kidding me," Jigglypuff breathed out. "If I ever see those guys again...!" Before she could finish uttering her threat, Meta Knight spoke up.

"You will not be seeing King Dedede for a while. He took an unfortunate slip off the roof and will need medical attention for at least a few days. Your revenge will have to wait until later."

"Seriously?" Jigglypuff asked, jaw dropping. Meta Knight chuckled.

"Be patient Jigglypuff. I do not recommend resorting to violence as a method of payback. You will have to come up with a wiser plan," he suggested. She waved both hands in desperation.

"After what they've done, why shouldn't I give them what they deserve?" she demanded.

"I know a very good reason, dear Jigglypuff. Should you give them a serious injury, they will be unable to perform on the Talent Show. The Master Hand would punish you as a result, therefore, you would take responsibility for breaking the rules," Meta Knight explained, much to Jigglypuff's dismay. "There will be an opportunity some other time but not when the practise sessions will be the most demanding. We will be required to practise with everyone else. The Master Hand will be providing an evaluation of our progress."

"But this...act was supposed to be...between the two of us. The rumours will spread like crazy!" she stuttered out in a weak protest.

Meta Knight put a hand on her shoulder, seeing her upset expression. "I do not consider an act to be performed in front of millions to simply be a secret. Had you not made your decision with that in mind Jigglypuff? Or have you forgotten the purpose of this event?"

"I...uh, I knew that," she said in denial. "I had that in mind when making my choice. I don't regret it at all."

"Very well then," Meta Knight replied, turning his back to her. "When we show up for our evaluation in two days, I will see for myself whether you speak the truth. By then, the truth will unfold itself. Be ready Jigglypuff, for whatever will await us then."


	80. Episode Sixty Three

_Due to a snow day, I managed to get an update done during the week. Hopefully the next one will be done next weekend:D_

_Disclaimer: Same thing as usual_

* * *

**Chapter Eighty**

**Episode Sixty Three**

_Initiating Plan B_

"_This isn't going to work! I had no idea we would have to be evaluated!" _Jigglypuff thought with another strike of panic as she poked her food mindlessly with a fork. Many Smashers at the same table exchanged nervous and uncertain expressions but none spoke a word. Jigglypuff was hardly ever silent. She lifted her fork which held a neglected mouthful of noodles, each one falling from the metal back onto the cooling plate.

"Should we ask her what's wrong?" Lucas spoke up, sensing the balloon Pokémon's distress.

"She won't answer to us, no matter how much we try to get her attention," Marth replied, speaking in a whisper. "She is hardly this worried."

Jigglypuff sighed, her fork nudging her food as if it contained some form of toxic chemical, in mistrust. With a small push, she moved the plate exactly a few inches in front of her and jumped down from her chair. Ike would have spoken up but Marth shook his head. Ike leaned back in his chair, reluctantly.

"Do you suppose she's worried about the Talent Show evaluations?" Ike asked, now sure Jigglypuff was out of the cafeteria, wandering around by herself again. "I heard they are only in two days. Perhaps the stress has gotten to her."

"I don't see why it should," Link said, looking up from his food. "I think it's going to be fun!"

"You're the one who came up with our act in the first place," Ike retorted. "You never consulted us about it. We didn't exactly appreciate that. We're going to look ridiculous onstage!"

Link inched his chair away from Ike. "Don't take it so seriously! It's working isn't it? It will be beat the villains for sure!"

"You will regardless, at least, for now," Zelda replied. "Have you heard about Dedede? He was taken to the hospital an hour ago. I don't see how the villains can practise their act at the evaluations without their full team."

Ike nodded. "I did hear about that. Dedede's not exactly who I get along well with but not even he deserved that. I hope he's all right."

"Hey, he survived, didn't he? Nothing to worry about!" Link said, smiling. Many turned to glare at him. He eyed the displeased faces with utmost perplexion. "What did I say?"

"He fell off the roof Link," Marth said, very serious. "He is very fortunate to only be in the hospital for only a week. It could have been much worse."

"While we're on the subject on villains, have you seen them at all today?" Ike asked, glancing around the room. Others copied his actions, noticing the same empty table adjacent from them.

"They've-a disappeared since," Luigi said, taking a seat. "They have been-a worried about-a Dedede."

"I find that hard to imagine," Link mumbled, taking another gulp of his juice. Kirby noticed the untouched food on Link's plate and proceeded to inhale it in one swallow. Link glared at the young Star Warrior. "Hey, what was that for?"

"Mind your attitude Link," Zelda hissed at him. He turned away, shamed.

"Sorry for losing my temper Kirby," he apologized, refusing to meet the puffball's gaze. "I guess this has all affected us hasn't it?"

Marth spoke up. "What about Meta Knight? Have you seen him lately?"

"No, I haven't seen him all day," Ike said. "He said he would train with me this morning but he never showed up. He's never late. I've known him since the beginning of this tournament. He always shows up on time. Something's wrong."

"He's teamed up with Jigglypuff," Link replied, mouth full of food, after ordering a new one from the waitress who gladly agreed. "Maybe they are both struggling with their act."

"What is their act anyway?" Ike asked, taking notice of all the confused looks on everyones' faces. "None of you heard about it? Not one of you?"

"We-a know nothing of it," Luigi replied. Ike closed his eyes in deep thought.

"Do you suppose that rumour is true?" he asked, finishing the last of his juice. "That they _like_ each other, if you catch my drift. Those two were together when they skipped the first practise session."

It stayed a secret no more with the group of Smashers. They swore not to tell the Master Hand, especially since they have been working hard on their act in private.

"Come to think of it, they were together," Link agreed. "I was trying to tell Jigglypuff I believed the rumour but she got really mad at me. She hasn't spoken to me since."

"If you were not acting like a freak, maybe it never would have happened," Ike said, trying to sound reasonable. Link took the comment more to heart than it was intended to be.

"Who's the freak?" he said in a threatening tone, hand resting on the Master Sword's hilt.

"Does it-a really matter?" Luigi asked, before a brawl could start. Link removed his hand from his sword.

"Fine, I guess not. I get the hint. I'll shut up," Link said, leaning back in his chair. No one noticed the villains pass by the cafeteria in the hallway as they headed towards the hospital.

**

"I hate that puffball!" Dedede groaned as he watched another overplayed commercial appear on the television screen. He had to have seen the same commercial the hundredth time that hour. The door opened, the Master Hand entering quietly.

"I am glad to see you are awake," he said, relieved. "I heard you had a painful fall not too long ago. How are you feeling?"

"Terrible," Dedede growled. "This place is boring! And I'm hungry! Where's my supper?" The Master Hand twitched from the anger in the penguin's voice.

"I understand how displeased you must be but that is no reason to speak to me like that. You will have supper very soon if you are feeling up to it. We were worried about you," the Master Hand scolded.

Dedede shrunk down in the hospital bed. "But I'm hungry!"

The Master Hand mumbled something under his breath before ordering a waitress to serve Dedede his supper. The door opened, each villain following behind each other through the door.

"We heard the unfortunate news about Dedede," Ganondorf said, his serious tone taking the Master Hand by surprise. "Is it true he will have to stay in here for a week due to his injury?"

"I'm afraid it is true. I won't count this against your evaluation since I understand you need all your team members for your act. Dedede should make a recovery before the Talent Show," the Master Hand said, thinking for a moment.

"Yes but if that puffball had not caused Dedede to fall, this never would have happened. You have Meta Knight to blame for Dedede's injury," Ganondorf said, grinning at Dedede when the Master Hand wasn't looking. Dedede understood what Ganondorf was going to do and grinned back.

"Please explain to me why Meta Knight would be the one to blame," the Master Hand said. "It isn't in his personality to break the rules. He's a very obedient Smasher."

"Let me tell you why," Dedede said, forging an upset expression. "I was taking pictures for a Talent Show video. My team had came up with the idea and allowed me to take the pictures and film anything I thought would fit. I went to the roof to take some pictures for the front page when that crazy blueberry came and ruined everything. He was flying towards me with his sword aimed to attack me. I couldn't do anything to stop him from succeeding to injure me so I had no choice but to fall off the roof. That puffball has gotten in my way for the last time. Something has to be done."

The Master Hand comprehended the story and Dedede's perfectly serious mood with a twitch of disbelief. "Is that true that Meta Knight was out to hurt you?"

"The golden truth," Dedede replied, faking a very convincing sigh. "If Meta Knight left me alone, I would have done everything to make the ultimate video. Meta Knight cannot stand us to succeed. Is it really fair that he can get away with this...villainy?"

The Master Hand, taken aback, was quick to respond. "No, that is not fair. Something has to be done. Not only is it bad to put down others but to threaten their safety is even worse. I will have a word with him soon. He will not get away with this."

As the Master Hand left for his office, the villains grinned and high fived each other.

"Good work Dedede," Bowser said. "That was an impressive act. You had the Master Hand completely fooled. No need to mention those videos were for blackmail purposes."

Dedede laughed, imagining Meta Knight's surprised expression when the Master Hand would punish him. "That blueberry won't know what hit him! This has to be the best plan yet!"

"When's supper?" Wario asked randomly, glancing around the hospital room desperately. Dedede groaned, remembering his longing for the glorious existence of food.

"Ask the waitress. She's supposed to bring me _my_ supper! I've been waiting for a long time," Dedede complained, his stomach agreeing with him.

***

"I'm bored," Link complained, pushing his now empty plate away from him. "There's nothing to do around here. I just want something exciting to happen!"

The group of bored Smashers shared his same feelings, no brawls scheduled and feeling quite comfortable with their future performances. They needed to fight in the stadium again but the Master Hand refused to listen.

Jigglypuff's voice in the hallway made them turn around from the dinner table. She sounded worried. "Meta Knight, why does the Master Hand need to talk to you about? It sounds very serious!"

"It will be all right. It should not take long," he replied, no emotion in his firm voice.

"The Master Hand sounded _mad. _Really _mad._ Are you sure it's not anything serious?" Jigglypuff continued.

Meta Knight sighed. "I do not know Jigglypuff."

Link stood up from his seat. "I'm going to find out what this is about. The Master Hand normally isn't angry!"

On a normal occasion, the group would have protested against eavesdropping but in a situation as dire as this, they absolutely needed to know what was going on.

"We're-a going with you," Luigi said, the rest of the group standing up too.

Link was surprised at first but soon a grin spread across his face. "Follow me."

Jigglypuff put a hand on Meta Knight's shoulder. "I hope this isn't anything bad," she whispered. Meta Knight rested his hand on the doorknob of the Master Hand's office with a tight grip.

"I told you it would be all right," he reminded her, his hand briefly brushing against hers. Her hand tingled from the soft touch, falling back to her side as if petrified.

"I'll wait here," Jigglypuff replied, her worry not soothed by any words of reassurance.

Meta Knight turned back to her. "Please do not worry about me," he said, his hand reaching for hers to give it a gentle squeeze. Jigglypuff knew the touch was intentional this time, unlike their moments in the past when they were both in their imaginary world of fantasies.

He leaned closer to her face until the metal met her cheek before pulling away and closing the door behind himself, leaving a worried Jigglypuff on the other side.


	81. Episode Sixty Four

**Chapter Eighty One**

**Episode Sixty Four**

_Distressed_

The Master Hand's office had always been somewhat spooky to the Smashers. No one wished to step in the room at any cost by their own will. Meta Knight eyed the office with concern, wondering what the Master Hand wanted to tell him about. If it concerned the Talent Show, he would have asked Jigglypuff in the room too. He glanced at the door, hoping to be out of the room as quickly as possible.

"I was hoping you would arrive," the Master Hand spoke up, voice unlike a tone Meta Knight ever heard before. It sounded so…serious, shrouded in its own mysterious aura. He didn't like the sound of it, no matter what the Master Hand had to talk to him about. "We need to talk immediately. It was brought to my attention of your conduct this afternoon."

Meta Knight blankly stared in his direction. "Exactly what kind of conduct might you be speaking of?"

The Master Hand pointed a finger at the chair in front of his desk. "Please take a seat _Meta Knight._"

Obeying, he sat down, hands holding the cape tighter around his body. "What did you wish to discuss with me?"

The Master Hand shook his gloved hand. "I am afraid it is not good news. I would have expected better of you, being a well respected Smasher around here. That is never excuse to take advantage of putting others at risk."

Meta Knight gazed intently at the uncompromising gloved hand. "What are you talking about? I do not understand what you mean."

The Master Hand tightened his gloved hand into a fist. "You know very well what I mean. Because of you, a fellow Smasher was hurt and unable to attend the evaluations. Their group is unable to attend as a result. I must say their efforts completely took me by surprise. I am disappointed you would even attempt to sabotage their progress."

"I never did that," Meta Knight objected, standing up. "What interest would it be of mine to sabotage others? I never treated anyone in such a manner. Does it not go against honour? Respect? Courtesy?"

"Heed your own words Meta Knight. Endangering others does go against honour indeed. Do you respect others as well as your own code of honour?" the Master Hand said, then caught a glance at Meta Knight who was standing up. "_Sit down in your seat!"_ he hissed, startling the round knight completely.

"I apologize Master Hand," he replied, quietly sitting down. The Master Hand never spoke to him like this before. Something wasn't right about this at all.

"You heard the news about King Dedede?" the Master Hand asked, still tense. "He spoke to me of the cause to his injury. Was it not you who were there? You caused him to fall off the roof a couple hours ago and for what reason? Putting others at risk is never excusable, especially when done intentionally. Meta Knight, there are consequences to be served for your actions."

Meta Knight stood up again, forgetting about everything else. The hatred he held against Dedede had never been so strong before. "I never caused him to fall. He lost his own balance when attempting to film Jigglypuff and myself for blackmailing purposes! Do you remember when that rumour had spread that I was in a relationship with Jigglypuff? The villains were at fault. They have been the ones causing trouble Master Hand. Are you telling me you believe a villain? A liar?"

**_"Silence!" _**the Master Hand practically bellowed at Meta Knight. "I have had enough of your excuses. Dedede swore to me he spoke to the truth. I never had seen him so sincere before. Maybe he was trying to change for the better!"

"He is deluding you," Meta Knight said, shaking his head/circular body. "You are being deceived."

"I never thought I would have to say it Meta Knight, but you will have to be punished for your behaviour. It would only be fair. Rules are rules," replied the Master Hand in a more businesslike tone. "Until further notice, you are suspended from the Talent Show."

"Master Hand, I had nothing to do with Dedede falling off the roof. He was spying on both myself and Jigglypuff, invading our privacy. I saw a flash of light and went to check to see what it was. Dedede had seen me and lost his balance. Jigglypuff is my partner! She cannot perform alone Master Hand! Listen to me," Meta Knight spoke out, eyes red.

"You may leave now. I hope you understand how this punishment was necessary."

Meta Knight thrust open the door, slamming it behind him. He ignored Jigglypuff, passing by without noticing she was even there. She quickened her pace to compensate, hoping to catch up to Meta Knight. "What happened? It sounded…like something bad really happened."

He stopped abruptly. "No, it was all right." He continued down the hallway, still refusing to meet her gaze. Because of Dedede, Meta Knight could not erase the guilt for letting down Jigglypuff, being suspended from the Talent Show. She'd never forgive him if she knew what really happened. "The Master Hand had technical difficulties."

"Again?" Jigglypuff asked, seeming to believe his excuse. "That's horrible."

Meta Knight nodded but when Jigglypuff turned towards him, he was no longer in sight.

***

"That's blasphemy!" Link lashed out when the group returned to the dinner table, stunned from what they heard in the last ten minutes. "Why would the Master Hand believe that liar?"

"I-a have no idea," Luigi replied. "Dedede would-a use this opportunity to-a his advantage."

"That's low, even for a villain," Ike agreed. "I cannot believe the Master Hand actually believed that overweight penguin though. He must really be insane to even think for a second Meta Knight was to blame. If only there was a way to prove that Dedede was guilty."

"It is unfortunate this happened," Zelda spoke up. "But it is very important we find a solution to this situation. The Master Hand needs to know the truth."

"He wouldn't listen to Meta Knight and he never lies. Meta Knight's a very honest guy. He wouldn't hide anything from the Master Hand," Ike said, hand under his chin in deep thought. "It's a real shame he had to be suspended. I can't imagine how Jigglypuff must feel. I know they were working hard on their act."

"I still believe they're a couple," Link randomly said, before he felt someone step on his foot from under the table, accidently letting a curse word slip out of his mouth. His face burned a dark shade a second later, seeing the shocked looks on the younger Smashers' faces. "Pardon me," he quickly said, trying to cling to his pride that he had not lost. He was about to take a sip of his wine when he saw Jigglypuff standing before him, arms crossed. He choked on the drink, swallowing the wrong way.

"You still believe what, Link?" Jigglypuff asked, in a quiet but threatening tone. Link shrank down in his seat.

"I still believe the Master Hand is an idiot," Link said, causing Jigglypuff's jaw to drop.

"Link," she began. "That wasn't necessary…"

"It is! Have you heard what he did to Meta Knight? He suspended him from the Talent Show until further notice." It took one long moment for his response to comprehend itself inside Jigglypuff's mind. Her eyes widened, but with shock and anger.

"The Master Hand…did what? That insane twisted excuse for a disembodied hand!" Jigglypuff hissed under her breath. "I would like to have a word with him this instant! To believe Dedede is completely stupid. Since when has that guy told the truth? He was a main cause for that horrendous rumour last month!"

"You and Meta Knight are a couple, aren't you?" Link asked, pointing a finger at Jigglypuff. "Am I right?"

A second later, Link was lying on the ground, chair toppled over. Ike chuckled.

"You shouldn't have said that, freak," he said, letting a laugh slip. Link glared at Ike.

"Watch it," he warned. "I'm not in a good mood right now."

"Have any of you seen Meta Knight? He disappeared not too long ago and I couldn't find him since," Jigglypuff questioned, ignoring the flattened Link on the floor.

Ike spoke up. "He passed by about a minute ago, I think. He would not respond to us no matter how much we tried to persuade him."

"Thank you," Jigglypuff said, turning around to the porch.

"I am worried about Meta Knight. He seemed so tense when we had seen him," said Marth, who shared the same concern as the surrounding group.

Jigglypuff was out of breath, searching the porch for any trace of Meta Knight. She needed to talk to him badly. _"Why didn't he tell me he was suspended!? Why does he have to be secretive when I've told him he could tell me anything? I'll never understand him! Wait a minute...I can prove he's innocent. I thought I had the video camera...that's it!" _She swiftly turned the corner and headed up the staircase. _"The Master Hand can't be angry at Meta Knight when he sees the evidence!"_

She took her time searching for the camera which she left in her dresser. It had to be here somewhere. Eventually Jigglypuff dug out the camera, smiling vibrantly. To be safe, she decided to play the video to make sure the content was evidence.

But as she pressed the play button, a terror froze her body; the kind that paralyzed her in fear. "No! N-No way! T-This can't be. How could the data have been erased!? What am I going to do now?"


	82. Episode Sixty Five

**Chapter Eighty Two**

**Episode Sixty Five**

_A Victory or Luck?_

"Meta Knight is going to kill me for this," Jigglypuff muttered, trying very hard not to have a panic attack. "I thought I would have had the evidence to prove that he's innocent but I...failed. There is now way we can participate in the Talent Show now." It was as though she was swimming in the depths of despair with no meaning to escape its swallowing emptiness.

She felt like taking out the dress and disposing of it but deep down, her conscious nagged at her to hang onto it. She sighed, leaning back on the pillows of her bed. "This act is over. There is nothing I can do to fix any of this. I hate Dedede..." Everything she and Meta Knight had worked for was all for nothing at this point. Meta Knight was not exactly banned from the tournament but his punishment was close to that point.

"I can't accept that this is the end," Jigglypuff muttered as she looked the video camera again. Then it hit her. This camera was different from the one she had spied earlier. Maybe this one had not been erased but the evidence could simply be in the enemy's hands.

_"It did look unusual. But where could they be hiding the real camera? The evidence?"_

Dedede had been in charge of the videos. He had the cameras. His room seemed like a good place to check out. Jigglypuff opened the door, and peeked down the hallway. Dedede's room was on the same floor as hers was. Two Waddle Dees stood outside his door with a spear in their hands. Jigglypuff shuddered, but she gazed at the door, knowing it definitely not an option. There had to be another way into his room besides the front door.

As Jigglypuff closed the door and lay back on her bed, an idea struck her as she looked up at the ceiling. The vent suddenly appealed itself to her but getting to it required some drastic measures. She opened the closet, conveniently finding a ladder. Positioning it carefully below the vent, she had taken a couple steps up when the door opened. Startled, Jigglypuff lost her balance, certain she would reunite with the ground in just a second. Two arms supported her, holding her body closer than she would have preferred. Her eyelids fluttered open after what seemed about an hour and gazed into the eyes of her saviour.

"Meta Knight..." she breathed out, but much to her disappointment, he let go of her after helping her stand up with her full balance again. He rested a hand on the ladder, staring intently at Jigglypuff with an unreadable expression.

"What are you doing Jigglypuff?" He asked, astonished. "You could have hurt yourself."

"I was only on the third step," Jigglypuff weakly protested. "I would have been okay."

"It could have any step and I would not have acted differently," Meta Knight retaliated, processing to wrap his cape around his body. "What was it you were intending to do?"

"Look outside the door," Jigglypuff instructed him, holding onto the doorknob. "I'll explain my plan."

"What plan?" he asked, confused, not sure what she was getting at by looking down the hallway. "Does this involve breaking the rules in some way? Our situation is not good as it is."

"I know," Jigglypuff said, suddenly serious. "You were suspended from the Talent Show. I heard all about it. Meta Knight, why didn't you tell me? I thought we were supposed to trust each other."

Meta Knight turned to look in the opposite direction, clearly uncomfortable. "I know deep down you have secrets of your own. Though we may trust each other, there are some experiences we would rather keep to ourselves."

"Did you think I would be angry at you?" Jigglypuff enquired, tone softening. "It wasn't even your fault to begin with! It's Dedede to blame for this. That's why I intend on getting the real camera from him and turning it in for evidence."

Meta Knight took a seat on the bed. "I was unsure what to believe Jigglypuff. It is not easy for me to speak my mind. You devoted much of your time into preparing this act and because of our enemy, our effort was all for nothing. I cannot express how sorry I am."

Jigglypuff hugged him, which he least expected her to do. His muscles stiffened up, but Jigglypuff massaged his shoulders until they fully relaxed. She waited for so long to touch him, to embrace him, to show she cared about him. Meta Knight relented, giving in the gesture and resting in her arms for about a minute.

"How did you plan on finding the camera?" he spoke up, still in her arms, hoping to reduce the awkward mood.

"You saw how Dedede keeps his room guarded. I was planning on using this vent to sneak into his room and retrieve the camera. It's the only chance we've got at proving you're innocent," Jigglypuff replied. Meta Knight sighed, somewhat disagreeable at the thought of going into someone else' room without their permission.

"Are you sure this will work? We could be in trouble should we be caught executing this plan," Meta Knight warned Jigglypuff, doubtful.

"Our act depends on it," Jigglypuff reminded him. "The Master Hand will listen to you if this works out and I know it will. Trust me Meta Knight. I've got a good feeling about this."

"I suppose there is no other choice now," Meta Knight agreed, giving in, not wishing to disappoint Jigglypuff when she was hopeful.

"Thank you Meta Knight!" she said, giving him a gentle squeeze before letting go of him. "Like I said, I've got a really good feeling. I know we can do this." Meta Knight held the ladder in place as Jigglypuff continued to climb it. She waited in the vent patiently for Meta Knight to follow behind. As she anticipated, she could access everyone else' rooms from the vent. She passed by Mario and Luigi's room which had the distinct scent of spaghetti. The dark room was obviously Ganondorf's which she spent no time lingering nearby.

Jigglypuff sighed with relief when she found her destination. Meta Knight nodded, grabbing the vent and gently pulling it out without a sound. Due to their small size, Meta Knight had enough room to reach out and hold Jigglypuff in his arms as he jumped out of the opening and onto the soft carpet. In truth, she didn't him to let go of her. She felt protected from her worries in his arms.

Jigglypuff opened the drawers of the dresser, hoping to find the camera there while Meta Knight searched his closet. It was challenging enough trying to open the stubborn closet door which desperately required some repairs from the dents imprinted in various parts of the broken wood. With an impatient pull, the door slid open, a small part chipped off completely.

The King of Dreamland's dresser was beyond messy in Jigglypuff's standards. She picked up toy after toy with an odd look, glancing questionably at Meta Knight. "Why does Dedede have all this in his dresser?"

"Stay focused," he whispered, searching through shelf after shelf. "We need to find the camera before we are found out."

Jigglypuff put the toys back in his drawer, dissatisfied she found nothing unusual. "How's it going for you Meta Knight?" she whispered back, making sure she left no trace she touched the dresser.

"I did not find anything," Meta Knight replied. "Eventually, we will find what we are seeking. Do not give up hope."

Two familiar voices outside the door froze the two puffballs in place.

"It's my room! I go in first!"

"Excuse me, but this was all my idea," another voice replied. "As the leader, I should be the first to enter for this meeting."

Jigglypuff nearly panicked when Meta Knight scooped her up and used his wings to reach the vent. Jigglypuff climbed up, Meta Knight following close behind, putting the vent back into place. He motioned for her to remain quiet as he pulled out an audio recorder. Jigglypuff's eyes widened.

_"What is Meta Knight doing?"_

The villains spoke up the same moment Meta Knight turned on the recorder. Jigglypuff realized his intentions and kept silent, trying to hide her excitement.

"I can't believe you tricked the Master Hand," Bowser said in amazement. Dedede laughed. Normally he would have been in the hospital but insisted he was allowed to rest in his own room. The Master Hand agreed after much threatening.

"I reckon I could be an actor," Dedede agreed. "That annoying sword swinging know-it-all blueberry can't participate in the tournament now. Neither can that pink puff."

"Two for the price of one," Wolf joined in. "Dedede could be an actor. That delusional white glove didn't have a clue what was going on. We have Dedede to thank for our success."

"He's a genius," Wario agreed, stomach satisfied for once. "Because of him, nothing can stop us from our ultimate blackmailing plan."

Jigglypuff tried to get into a more preferably comfortable position when the metal creaked. She almost let out a gasp when Meta Knight turned off his audio recorder and covered her mouth, guiding her back to their bedroom in the opposite direction.

"I thought I heard something from up there," Dedede said, looking around.

"I'm sure it was your imagination," Bowser objected.

Jigglypuff released a shaky breath when she and Meta Knight could see their bedroom again. He held her close again, careful to avoid the ladder on the way down. With one arm, he held her tightly, the other one putting away the ladder back in the closet. He was about to let her go when Jigglypuff clung onto him tightly around the shoulders. Meta Knight staggered back in surprise.

"J-Jigglyp-puff," he stuttered, his back against the wall for support. "Wh-What are you doing?"

"It's okay Meta Knight. Trust me," Jigglypuff spoke, leaning in closer to his masked face. He could feel a couple beads of sweat drip down his forehead, nervous by Jigglypuff's changed behaviour. "I...really like you. I really do."

It was awkward enough for her to cling onto him tightly but when her hand held onto his mask strap, his heart nearly stopped. Was their trust strong enough for Jigglypuff to know what lay beneath the mask he hid for so long? The last time her hand touched him under the mask, he had pulled away, rejected the gesture. This time seemed different. The bond between them seemed strengthened in the last few hours. It was hard to believe a lot had occurred in such a short amount of time.

"Meta Knight," she whispered. He wrapped his arms around her and took a seat on his bed, lying back against the pillows with Jigglypuff at his side. "How much do you care about me?"

"More than my own life," he admitted, feeling his cheeks heat up as Jigglypuff remembered the difficulty of figuring out how the straps held the mask to his face. She lifted up the mask a bit, his mouth able to be seen which was now curved into a sweet smile. Jigglypuff didn't move the mask up higher, respecting his privacy. A faint blush spread across the exposed part of his face, the redness hidden under the metal higher up on his still-concealed features.

Meta Knight briefly pulled an arm away to turn on the lamp on his end table before it returned to Jigglypuff's hand which held his own securely. Both of them were too caught up in the moment to realize what they were doing. Meta Knight suddenly felt the audio recorder in his cape and jumped down from the bed, pulling his mask down over his face.

Jigglypuff sat on the bed, confused, until Meta Knight pulled out the audio recorder. "We have to give that to the Master Hand," she forced out, trying not to let the fact her face was beet red faze her. Meta Knight's was the same colour unbeknownst to her.

"That was our intention," he agreed, opening the door for her. "We need to show the Master Hand the evidence immediately."


	83. Episode Sixty Six

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to SSBB.

* * *

**Chapter Eighty Three**

**Episode Sixty Six**

_Success_

Jigglypuff had not realized it was eleven in the evening. The hallways were empty including the lounge and the cafeteria. Deciding it was safe, she reached out for Meta Knight's hand and slid her own in his. Meta Knight gave it a squeeze but didn't object despite the butterflies that unsettled his stomach, remembering the awkward moment they shared not too long ago in the bedroom.

"I hope the Master Hand will understand," Jigglypuff breathed out, hoping her uneasiness wouldn't show through in her voice.

"We have evidence," Meta Knight replied, holding the audio recorder in a secure grip, knocking on the Master Hand's office door. "For now, we will have to be patient and wait."

Jigglypuff nodded but without giving a verbal response. It seemed like forever before the Master Hand answered the door. Jigglypuff expected the disembodied hand to be angry but he seemed rather calm much to her relief. "Master Hand, we have something very important to tell you. It's about the Talent Show."

"I will not change my mind about my decision earlier," he insisted but Meta Knight held up the recorder.

"We have evidence Dedede was deceiving you. It may interest you to listen to it before remaining firm on your decision," Meta Knight cut in. The Master Hand sighed, giving in and taking the audio recorder reluctantly. He pressed a finger on the play button and listened carefully as the villains spoke, each sentence agitating the Master Hand.

Jigglypuff shot a hopeful glance at Meta Knight before the Master Hand looked up, hand now a fist.

"I cannot believe I had been tricked by Dedede," he said in a quiet tone. "Meta Knight, I apologize for my hostile behaviour earlier. I should have trusted your word. It is unlike you to put another in danger. But Dedede and I," he spoke up. "Are going to talk immediately. You are permitted to enter the Talent Show again. Do not let this afternoon bother you. Let us pretend it never happened."

"No objections," Jigglypuff agreed, the pain in her stomach vanishing. "When do we do our evaluations? We didn't a get a chance earlier."

The Master Hand thought for a minute. "I heard from a few others who told me you two have been working hard on your act. I have no need to evaluate you. I trust that you are doing your best and that your act does not break any rules."

"Thank you so much Master Hand!" Jigglypuff said, opening the door for Meta Knight. "We won't let you down at the Talent Show! You can trust us."

Meta Knight's eyes were a radiant blue as they headed down the hallway, the anxiety of the afternoon slipping away. It felt like they were on top of the world with everything turning out. It was a dream come true. Yet Jigglypuff felt it wasn't over yet. She glanced at Meta Knight, trying to take hold of his hand again, which was under the folds of his cape. Meta Knight let it go, taking Jigglypuff's hand in his, then proceeded to walk down the hallway as if he was doing nothing out of the ordinary.

"Jigglypuff, would you care to dance?" he asked her. Jigglypuff looked up, initially taken aback but nodded.

"Sure, we still have time before midnight, don't we?" Jigglypuff said, giggling softly. Meta Knight sighed, his gloved hand reaching over and touching her cheek with a simple, careful stroke.

"I would dance with you all night," he whispered, opening the door, Jigglypuff completely frozen in shock. His voice sounded dazzling, his desire unable to be hidden in his tone. "If time allowed us to do so, I would...I would."

"M-Meta Knight," she spoke softly.

"_What am I doing?"_ he thought to himself, wanting to break away from the moment before he crossed the line. _"Do I really want to do this? With her? Yet my feelings for her are too strong. To hold them in any longer would tear me apart."_

Jigglypuff's back was against the wall as Meta Knight held her tightly. Without the wall, they would have fallen over backwards. Jigglypuff's cheek was pressed against Meta Knight's mask...his mask...she snuck a peek into his eyes which glowed vibrantly with joy. Maybe he wouldn't refuse her tonight when he was in a good mood.

"_The stupid straps," _she thought, remembering she couldn't get them undone. Her hands knew better than to attempt to unhook the metal to see his face, the face she longed to see since the day they first met. Jigglypuff carefully slid her hands under his mask, trying to find his cheeks.

_"Am I making a mistake?"_ Meta Knight thought, debating to separate himself from the awkward moment. Part of him fought to stay and enjoy it. Jigglypuff could sense his uncertainty, her hands traveling under his mask at a faster pace.

Jigglypuff, finally losing her patience, fiddled with the straps. Meta Knight's shoulders stiffened up. Was it worth it to hide his face from her any longer? The curiosity and awkward moments would continue on, never to end. He bit his lip, regretting what he was about to do. His hand reached for the straps which Jigglypuff had been trying to figure out and carefully began to undo them with ease. Jigglypuff gave a last pull, surprised when the mask was in her now frozen hands. Meta Knight looked equally as surprised to see the mask in Jigglypuff's hands and turned away, realizing his face was exposed for her to see. Just as Meta Knight covered his face with his cape, Jigglypuff quickly reached out and took hold of it, preventing it from covering the face she longed to see.

"Don't do that," she said, smiling. "Not after all the trouble it took just to get that thing off."

Meta Knight looked down in shame as she gazed at his face for what seemed a few long minutes. He was supposed to be a strong warrior but now he felt smaller than he already was. "Jigglypuff, I need my mask back!"

"You don't," Jigglypuff argued, tossing the mask on his bed. "Not tonight. Not with a face that adorable."

"No, anything but adorable," Meta Knight whispered, a blush creeping onto his face.

Jigglypuff put her hands on his shoulders. "Meta Knight, are you worried about your pride? Is that what this is about? That you have a sweet face? You don't have to worry about that around me. I'm not going to tell anyone."

"My pride? I have no idea what you are talking about," Meta Knight replied.

"You _know_ what I'm talking about," Jigglypuff insisted. "There's nothing wrong with your face, if that is what's bothering you. I'm finally seeing the real _you._ The one who has been hiding behind a mask. _You_ are who I care about."

Meta Knight stared at her in disbelief. "Everything about my face is wrong. I am supposed to be a warrior! A strong soldier! How does a face as hideous as mine show that?"

Jigglypuff put her hands on his cheeks. "Meta Knight, you face is not hideous. Don't every say that to me again. You're quite handsome to be honest."

His blush deepened. "Jigglypuff..."

"I care about you. Do you want me to prove it to you?" Jigglypuff asked, suddenly serious.

"Jigglypuff...I..."

He didn't get a chance to answer her question before her lips touched his, locked tightly together.

* * *

"In other words, my plan ended up working," Ganondorf said, summarizing the conversation in one sentence. "Since Dedede has the camera with all our videos on it, it will be up to him to create the ultimate production."

"I thought Dedede was caught trying to get some more pictures," Bowser recalled, causing Dedede groaned.

"I lost the camera thanks to that puffball," he complained.

"You lost it?" Wolf asked, eying Ganondorf but with a hidden smirk on his face. "That's not going to go over well with the boss over here."

Ganondorf stood up from his seat. "Dedede, I believe you will be paying for a new camera. And if you can find the one who seemingly lost, I would _love_ to see the pictures you did manage to get before you messed up on your mission."

Dedede stood up too, outraged. "How did I mess up? It was that blueberry's fault I fell!"

"You forgot to turn off the flash. You simply gave yourself away," Ganondorf said. Dedede raised his hammer, as if to fight.

"At least I'm not as gullible as the Master Hand! He completely fell for my act," Dedede said, with pride in his voice. "It must take a lot to trick that right handed freak."

"It would be a really good idea if you stopped talking now," Bowser said. "You're in enough trouble as it is."

"How? I got the blueberry in trouble. What could possibly go wrong?" Dedede asked, ignoring the Koopa.

"Let him talk," Ganondorf said. "It is his own death wish."

"If I can trick the Master Hand, our plan is guaranteed to work! After I finish this video, we're all good to go!" Dedede felt a tap on his shoulder. He gulped as he stared in shocked silence at said-gullible-right handed freak. "Um, hello Master Hand. Good evening."

"If being an actor was your forte, you should have decided to do that for the Talent Show, not for framing another fellow Smasher. I can't believe you would deceive me like this. I would like to have a talk with you immediately. Normally I would wait until morning, but I'm not in a patient mood right now. Come quickly. There's no time to waste," the Master Hand said.

The villains normally would have found the situation funny but knowing they all could be at risk, they stayed silent as the Master Hand left the room with Dedede following behind.

"I warned the fool," Ganondorf said. The others could have sworn he was smirking when he turned away.

* * *

Meta Knight had to admit to himself, the kissing felt good. Really good.

He never heard much of a kiss before in his lifetime but experiencing it after so long, he realized why such a simple gesture of affection was important.

He lost track of time completely since his lips caressed Jigglypuff's. Her lips were so smooth as they curved over his, their arms wrapping each other so close, they looked like one puffball from a distance. Any ability he had left to think straight was gone. They broke away for breath for a couple seconds before leaning in again, not realizing what they were doing. The whole tournament they had known each other, they were best friends and yet they were kissing now.

"Meta Knight...I love you," Jigglypuff whispered, completely dazed. Meta Knight was in the same state, laughing softly, the sound melodious to her ears.

"Mmm, I love you too Jigglypuff," he said, not paying attention to what he was saying.

Jigglypuff giggled, her hands now stroking the blush on Meta Knight's face. "You look _really _cute now Meta Knight. _Really cute_."

He leaned against her, a smile tugging at his busy lips. Normally he would have been completely embarrassed by the comment but his judgement was no longer existent with their lips against each other's. When they separated from losing all their breath, none of them could speak but only gaze at each other in wonder and astonishment.

Jigglypuff didn't expect Meta Knight to return the gesture or even expect him to feel the same way. Meta Knight stared at her for a full minute before remembering he was maskless. He reached out to retrieve the metal when Jigglypuff took hold of it and hid it behind her back.

"Don't you dare, sweet heart," Jigglypuff said, with a teasing tone. Meta Knight turned his back on her.

"Jigglypuff, give me my mask back," he spoke so seriously, Jigglypuff was almost seduced to obeying him.

Jigglypuff smiled. "When we're alone, you don't need a piece of metal covering your precious face. I really love it. I don't see what you're ashamed of."

Meta Knight turned around, accepting the fact was losing the battle. "As long as no one finds out," he whispered. "Especially the villains. I'd be mocked for the rest of the tournament."

"No one's going to find out," Jigglypuff promised, planting a kiss on his cheek, causing his blush to deepen. "It will only be between you and me."

Meta Knight leaned forward to return the kiss, not as doubtful as the first time. "Shall we dance, my dear? We made arrangements."

Jigglypuff laughed softly. "We did." She placed her hands on his shoulders. "We can dance all night if you want to. We have tomorrow off practise."


	84. Episode Sixty Seven

_I don't know how well this turned out. My motivation has been awful this week. Luckily, I had three snow days this week to get some work done. If I made any mistakes, constructive criticism is welcome. I will fix any parts that seemed a little off._

_Let's skip to July 30__th__, the night before the Talent Show. This is more of a filler chapter. The Talent Show starts next chapter and will continue for the last three updates. Thank you to anyone who supported my story so far. I appreciate the feedback:D_

_When I update my next chapter, my poll will be closed. Thank you to those who took the time to vote._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing related to SSBB._

* * *

**Chapter Eighty Four**

**Episode Sixty Seven**

_Countdown_

It was the anxiety that ate at Jigglypuff more than anything else.

Not even the warmth of Meta Knight's hand could calm her nerves. He didn't seem nervous about the Talent Show which was exactly twenty four hours away. Meta Knight's hand rubbed circles on her back as if he could feel the fear radiate from her body. Jigglypuff smiled nervously, her lips quivering before Meta Knight's pressed against them, halting their movement.

Jigglypuff blushed when his lips made contact with hers, their bodies close together as the slow dance continued on. It seemed they were dancing for the purpose of affection more than an act they would soon perform in front of millions.

"_What had I gotten myself into?"_ she thought as the dance was coming to an abrupt close.

"Is something the matter?" Meta Knight asked, lifting Jigglypuff in his arms, taking a seat on his bed. She sighed.

"I'm exhausted but so nervous," Jigglypuff replied, burying her face against Meta Knight's shoulder. "The Talent Show is tomorrow night. What if we're not ready?"

"We are," he replied. "We have practised hard enough to do well."

"I...guess so," Jigglypuff said, eying the clock for the hundredth time that hour. Meta Knight quickly kissed her on the cheek.

"It will be all right. There is no need to worry," he reassured her. "We are more than ready for this performance. If the Master Hand requires no evaluation from us, he knows we can do it without a problem."

"But-" He raised a hand to silence her.

"Trust me Jigglypuff."

She nodded, taking her focus off the clock. "I trust you Meta Knight."

He lowered his hand to rest it against the fabric of Jigglypuff's blue dress. Jigglypuff's face felt warmer from the touch. "You...are so beautiful in that dress."

"Oh, um..." she whispered, completely frustrated her blush showed so easily. He complimented her before about her outfit. _Why was she still blushing? _"Thanks."

Meta Knight sat up, releasing Jigglypuff. She opened her mouth to question him but he wrapped an arm around her before she had the chance to speak. "Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"You will have to wait and see," Meta Knight replied, holding her hand. "Since you seem to be worried tonight, would it not be reasonable to have a break and relax?"

Jigglypuff couldn't argue with that logic. It did make sense. "If you _really_ think that's a good idea."

Without further ado, he held her close, leading her down the stairs. Jigglypuff's eyes were clouded with sudden concern. "No one else knows we're a couple. What if everyone makes fun of us?"

"I am positive we will not be teased. What is there to be ashamed of?" Meta Knight said. "There was only a rumour last month yet no one made fun of us then."

"The villains find it funny," Jigglypuff muttered sadly. "And Ike was making fun of us."

"He was merely teasing, not to mean it seriously," Meta Knight replied, giving her hand a squeeze a second later. "But if you truly feel that way..." He let go of her hand. "Until we are alone again."

Jigglypuff avoided the Smashers' gazes as she proceeded to order herself a soda. Meta Knight took a seat with the swordsmen, deciding to feel somewhat social. They perked up quickly at his presence.

"Hey Meta Knight," Ike said quietly. Meta Knight nodded to regard his words of greeting.

"Good evening. Are you ready for the Talent Show?" At that, Ike shrugged.

"I don't know. Last week, everything was a lot less stressful," Ike said, his hand pushing his bangs away from his face. "But tonight, I just can't seem to wind down. Hard to believe the Talent Show's tomorrow."

"We'll be fine," Link replied, patting his friend on the shoulder. "We'll top Ganondorf and his team for sure!"

"Don't get overconfident," warned Ike. "And this isn't a competition."

"What about you and Jigglypuff?" Marth suddenly spoke up. "I thought you two were partners."

"We are," Meta Knight confirmed to Marth. "I believe we are ready. Jigglypuff is relieving herself at the moment. I assume many are nervous for tomorrow."

"Mostly," Ike agreed, before frowning. "Except for you. You never seem nervous about anything."

"I do not?" Meta Knight asked, an innocent tone in his voice. Ike gave him a small shove.

"I envy you right now," Ike admitted. "It seems so easy for you to be calm and so sure of yourself."

"You believe I am not nervous?" Meta Knight asked.

Ike rolled his eyes. "_Very_ funny." As he started a conversation with Link, who was starting to fall asleep, Marth took a seat next to Meta Knight, whose hands were now trembling under the round table. But Marth had seen it clearly.

"You are nervous," Marth whispered. "Are you all right?"

Meta Knight nodded. "Yes, nothing is wrong."

"Your hands are shaking." Such an obvious observation.

Meta Knight sat upright in his chair. "Absolutely not!" Ike and Link turned to face Meta Knight with a worried look on their faces.

"You okay?" Ike asked him. "You...sound stressed out."

Meta Knight immediately refused to believe it. "I am not. This has nothing to do with you two. Now if you please..." Ike shrugged and left Meta Knight and Marth to themselves again. They could hear a protest from the other side of the room.

"I can't believe they let him back in," Peach complained. "I thought the Master Hand would have banned Dedede."

Lo and behold, Dedede was standing in the doorway, the rest of his team standing behind him, grinning ear to ear. The heroes stood up, the calm atmosphere of the room, dissolving into nothingness.

Mario was the first to break the eerie silence. "I-a thought the Master Hand banned you."

"I reckon he changed his mind," Dedede said, not noticing every other face was glaring in his direction. "That wasn't exactly a bad thing, now was it?"

"You-a should have been expelled," Luigi said, siding with Mario.

"The Master Hand _is_ an idiot," Ike muttered. The whole room went silent. Meta Knight elbowed Ike as a warning to keep quiet and fortunately, Ike got the hint.

"This is ridiculous," Peach said. "After the trouble you caused, why are you still allowed to participate? I can't believe this!"

"Everybody gets a second chance," Dedede said in reply. "Now if you'll excuse me..." All the villains passed by to the cafeteria counter without another protest. Everyone exchanged looks of disbelief.

"I cannot believe the Master Hand," Meta Knight muttered under his breath. "Dedede will mostly be up to no good. He absolutely cannot misbehave at the Talent Show."

"I hate to break it to you but you were given a second chance too. You were banned at one time," Ike reminded Meta Knight.

"That was Dedede's fault for attempting to frame me," Meta Knight objected. "And a mistake on the Master Hand's behalf for believing King Dedede."

"All right, I get it," Ike said, realizing he was close to crossing the line. "But if Dedede knows what's good for him, he'll watch his steps." A crash could be heard a second later as Dedede tripped over an inconveniently placed banana peel and landed head first into the garbage bin.

Dedede had _an idea_ of who the culprits were but was too occupied of trying to get his head out of the bin to care. "Get me out of here! Somebody help me!"

"I agree with you Ike," Meta Knight said, smiling behind the mask. "King Dedede should watch his steps."

"He'd be on a head on collision for disaster," Ike said, causing a few others to laugh with him.

"HELP ME!" Dedede yelled from within the confinements of the garbage can. Annoyed with the screaming penguin, Ganondorf gave the can a swift kick, Dedede flying towards the wall with a loud thud.

Jigglypuff came back with a soda in her hands. "Sorry I'm late Meta Knight. I had a long wait at the cafeteria." She glanced at the Smashers with a confused expression. "Did I miss anything?"

"Other than Dedede and the villains allowed to participate in the Talent Show, no," Link said, groaning. "I was sure our competition would have been gone."

"Dedede's participating?" Jigglypuff asked, just as outraged as the others. "After what he did to me and Meta Knight, why is he still allowed?"

"He claims he had a second chance," Ike answered, glaring at the penguin who had his back turned to them, eating a mountain of food. "But personally, I think one chance was enough for him."

"But this isn't a competition. If he behaves, we have no need to worry," Jigglypuff said thoughtfully.

"Dedede behaving? That's a joke," Ike said, disagreeing.

"Maybe," Jigglypuff said, not really in the mood for the soda she spent quite a while waiting for. "But we don't have the time to worry about him. We need to make sure we are ready for our acts. We only have one chance to make this Talent Show successful. We need to work together as a team, like the Master Hand told us before and make this event as memorable as possible."

"Meaning _this is not a competition_ Link," Ike said, pointing accusingly at the Hylian swordsman. "We don't work against each other on a team. We work together."

"Fine," Link said, finally giving up the idea of besting Ganondorf. "If it is for the best. Let's work together as a team."

"Well said," Ike said, high fiving Link, a grin on his face. "_That's_ the spirit!"

"Tomorrow night is our time to prove we can work as a team," Meta Knight said. "By then, our skills will be pushed to the limits and put to the most difficult test we have experienced in the tournament. We only have one chance. One chance at succeeding. Let us do our best and make the most out of this opportunity."


	85. Episode Sixty Eight, Part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

* * *

**Chapter Eighty Five**

**Episode Sixty Eight Part 1**

_Backstage Anxiety_

Some experiences people found enjoyable and worthwhile. Some experiences however were the definition of mental and physical torture. Nothing was worse than the long wait backstage an hour before an upcoming performance.

Why did the Master Hand have them wait _a whole hour_ backstage and let their anxiety grow?

Most of the Smashers were eager to get started such as the villains, who were surrounded in confidence. Yet not many shared the villain's excitement about the performance.

Meta Knight shifted in his seat continuously in the last few minutes. Not even the children were nervous about the Talent Show. It didn't make Meta Knight feel any better to feel like a coward when he was known as a top tier. His reputation was completely at stake just to satisfy the fans. Dancing with Jigglypuff wouldn't help with the rumours that spread the previous month. He'd never live down the humiliation but he knew the performance was much more important than what others would say behind his back.

He could hear the Master Hand speak from the stage but couldn't make out the words he spoke. The outfit he wore didn't help his situation either. He reluctantly agreed to a form fitting suit that allowed him to keep his mask and cape on. If it had not been for dress rehearsal, he would have had no idea how to walk with a suit restricting his movements.

Meta Knight stood from his seat in the vacant corner as Jigglypuff hurried over to his side, hugging him tightly. She didn't seem nervous about the Talent Show like she had yesterday. _He _was the one nervous, quite out of character for him. He absolutely hated that feeling.

Was he more afraid than Jigglypuff?

"_Impossible," _he thought to himself. Jigglypuff, he could recall, was the hyperactive one of the group and mostly likely to panic. Much more was on the line than to simply lose a brawl.

"You okay Meta Knight?" Jigglypuff questioned, turning to look at him, genuinely concerned. Meta Knight could only fear his emotions were too easy to read even with his mask secured tightly to his face.

He attempted to lessen up, his body feeling stiffer than an iron board. No wonder Jigglypuff felt worried. His posture held so much uncertainty and looked as though to be in pain.

Jigglypuff told took hold of his hand. "A little nervous?"

Maybe he was too easy to read. Could she read his mind? Giving in, he gave a small nod, unsure if he should feel ashamed. Jigglypuff hugged him, not caring if anyone was watching. Each gaze that met them felt as sharp as a knife to Meta Knight, who wished to fall through the ground, never to be seen again.

"You're not the only one who is nervous. I just passed by Link earlier and he looked like he was going to lose it. I understand completely how you feel," Jigglypuff told him, a look of empathy on her face. Meta Knight didn't want to find out what expression was on his own. How much _easier_ he could be read.

Jigglypuff giggled softly, her hands unknowingly touching his cheeks. His eyes flashed a deep shade of purple, hoping it was only the two of them there without the possibility of them being watched by any bystanders.

"Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds but you should get ready soon. The Master Hand's starting his grand announcement in a few minutes," Ike spoke up, ruining the moment.

Jigglypuff smiled. "It's getting closer. I'm so thrilled, I could die from the suspense. Come on Meta Knight, let's hurry! We don't want to be late!"

Meta Knight followed closely behind, his mask a few degrees warmer from the intense blush on his face that wouldn't fade away. Ike chuckled as they passed by. "I knew you two were a couple."

"Shut up," Meta Knight hissed.

Jigglypuff gave a now mortified Meta Knight a playful shove. "We've been going out for a couple weeks now. We're going steady so far."

"Jigglypuff, that is none of his business!" protested Meta Knight whose face was a deep shade of red.

"Not so secretive now, huh Meta Knight? The villains were actually right. Who knew?"

Meta Knight began to wonder how much longer he would last before he lost his mind. "Fine," he breathed out. "Indeed, it is true. I am dating Jigglypuff. We are what you would consider a couple. What is there to be secretive about?"

"You tell me Mr. Nerves," Ike teased. Instantly, Meta Knight was sure his emotions were completely readable. The mask didn't help much now other than to spare a shard of his dignity.

"He's got a point," Jigglypuff agreed. Meta Knight scowled, unable to look at her and Ike in the eyes.

"Where did you get the impression I was nervous?"

"It's not hard to figure out," Ike said in reply. "You've been tensed up in the corner for half an hour."

"I heard Link is feeling nervous." He desperately hoped the attention would shift away from him very soon.

"Yeah," Ike replied, nodding slowly. "I think he's absorbed in his 'competition.' I hope he doesn't hurt himself."

"I hope he will be all right." Meta Knight knew how serious Link felt about triumphing over Ganondorf. It seemed somewhat ridiculous. "That is, if he does not let competition cross his mind, he should do exceedingly well."

"Just don't let the nerves get to you," Ike said to Meta Knight. "Have fun with your act."

"Same to you. Since you are jousting, may I ask where your steed may be?" Ike's posture went uptight instantly.

"May I please be excused? I need to talk with Link immediately." With that, Ike bolted in the opposite direction, leaving behind a stunned Jigglypuff and unresponsive Meta Knight.

"Did he forget to bring his horse?" Jigglypuff asked, glancing at the clock. "He's only got ten minutes left."

"It appears Link was left in charge of tending to the steeds," stated Meta Knight, not worried for the trio. "After all, it was his idea."

"I guess so. I hope nothing _disastrous _happens to them." Jigglypuff could hear yelling from the room across. She shuddered. "That sounded a lot like Link and Ike. There must be a problem."

"I swear I put Epona on a diet," Link protested, backing away from a fuming Ike. "It isn't my fault the horse gained weight."

"This could ruin our entire act! And where is _my_ horse?" Link cringed.

"They are in the stables," Marth said simply. "Exactly where you left them last week. Did...you feed them?"

"I thought that was your job...Crap," Link muttered. Marth and Ike stared at him in disbelief. The room felt like it dropped ten degrees from the newly developed tension.

"You idiot," Ike whispered. "They're probably dead by now. What are we going to do with an overweight mule and two starved horses?"

Link gave Ike the death glare. "Epona may be overweight but she is not a mule!"

Marth cut in before a fight could break out. "You two follow me I have an idea that just might work. We are going to get some substitutes instead."

"This better be good," Link replied, his face still possessing an unpleasant expression. "We do not have much time."

Now alone with Jigglypuff again, Meta Knight's nerves came back to haunt him like a living nightmare. There was nothing to worry about, right? He knew the dance routine like the back of his gloved hand. Was it fear of the unknown that petrified him inside out?

"Hey, wait for me! Don't leave me behind!" came a desperate shout. Meta Knight's eyes widened as a huge, overweight walrus hurried at the pace of a snail.

"Who was that?" Jigglypuff spoke in a quiet voice. "It looked like a monster!" A figure whom they recognized as Beast Ganon zoomed through the other room. Jigglypuff collapsed into Meta Knight's frozen arms.

"I thought it was against the rules to use a final Smash outside the stadium," Meta Knight said, still holding Jigglypuff, followed closely behind at a speed equalling Sonic, his wings replacing his cape. "It seems Ganondorf is attempting to break the rules and perhaps plan a sabotage."

"They're going to ruin everything if that's their plan," Jigglypuff growled. "The Master Hand should never have let him get a second chance. I knew they were up to something."

"Isn't that a stereotypical comment, puff?"

Jigglypuff leapt out of Meta Knight's arms, getting into a defensive stance. "_Who_ are you?"

In front of her stood a creepier and larger version of Bowser; Giga Bowser. Were Ganondorf _and _Bowser trying to break the rules?

"I'm going to tell the Master Hand you're breaking the rules!" threatened Jigglypuff, not about to show her fear.

"Who says our intention for tonight was to break the rules?" Ganondorf asked. "We were only practising for an act, a warm up, you could say. What is so wrong about that? Ask the Master Hand if you do not believe us."

"I...made...it," the same walrus Meta Knight and Jigglypuff saw earlier breathed out, panting heavily.

"Get used to your new form Dedede. It's only for tonight," Bowser reminded the former penguin who now collapsed on the ground.

"Our _most revered_ King of Dreamland has been cursed in the form of a walrus?" Dedede shot a glare at Meta Knight.

Dedede lifted his head. "You're one to talk! We saw you trembling in the corner earlier. Not so fearless now, huh Meta Knight?"

Before Meta Knight could respond, they could hear the Master Hand's voice echoing from the stadium. They turned around and left for the stage, Meta Knight not bothering to answer Dedede. The villains did the same, except that Dedede was too slow in his walrus form.

"Hey, wait for me!" Dedede hollered.

The backstage anxiety never hit Meta Knight more than it did earlier. Earlier, he had it mild. Now he had difficulty to support himself upon his feet. He sat down in an armchair, Jigglypuff sitting down next to him. No one in the room looked excited anymore as the Master Hand's speech continued on for another dreadful minute before they were even acknowledged.

"I would like to proudly present the Smashers in _Brawl_ who will be participating in this special event: The Talent Show of the Third Tournament!"

Cheers erupted throughout the large fanatical crowd. A few Smashers shuddered at the very volume of the people. There had to be a million people out there who would be watching them perform.

"Excited?" Jigglypuff asked, her blue eyes shining with thrill. His could only show the opposite emotion.

"I wish I felt the same way," he whispered, regretting he found no thrill in being scared. "But I am frightened Jigglypuff."

"You'll be fine. We already know what we're doing," she reassured him. "We practised quite a bit, didn't we? You will do great!"

"As will you," Meta Knight said in return, trying to relax before Jigglypuff became concerned. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I look ridiculous. What if I am laughed at during the performance?"

"You look fine. Very handsome. You should definitely wear a suit more often," Jigglypuff encouraged. "They look good on you."

A chuckle of embarrassment slipped past his lips. "You are beautiful in a dress Jigglypuff. How can I describe how elegant you appear in my eyes when I am left speechless?"

"Would all the Smashers please step upon the stage?" the Master Hand asked, peeking through the curtain. "Afterwards, you will perform one group at a time. Do your best everyone and remember this performance will be one that no fan will ever forget. This is no competition. It is an achievement, a goal, an act of teamwork. Good luck all of you."

Meta Knight felt somewhat safer holding Jigglypuff's hand. They were in this together. Taking a deep breath, he followed her onstage for the main introduction.

It was the beginning of the Talent Show.

And they were going to give it their all, their best effort.

It was time.


	86. Episode Sixty Eight, Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to SSBB.

* * *

**Chapter Eighty Six**

**Episode Sixty Eight, Part 2**

_The Spotlight_

The weeks of tension finally came down to this moment to be onstage. No one was sure whether to be excited or downright terrified. They all stood upon the stage, some intimidated by the size of the crowd surrounding the very space they had to perform their much practised acts.

Meta Knight could feel a freezing chill threaten to paralyse him in place. It took quite a bit of effort to stand there without letting a tremble take over the stillness of his hand. Jigglypuff's face was one brightened with the thrill. Sadly, he could not share her same emotions inside himself. People were a blur through his eyes; their countless numbers could only take away any words he had left to speak.

Jigglypuff gave Meta Knight a quick smile as the audience kept cheering in their seats. The last ones to stumble out from backstage were the swordsmen trio, completely out of breath. They joined the other Smashers, ignoring the disapproval of the Master Hand.

Link had finally noticed Dedede and opened his mouth to question him but Ike shook his head.

"I'll explain later," he muttered to Link, who had a weird expression on his face, trying to figure out who the fat walrus was. Link would have freaked out right then and there if he knew.

"In five minutes, the first presentation will begin," the Master Hand continued. "Until then, the Smashers will go out one by one to present their acts. Thank you for your patience."

The Smashers were glad to be away from the stares of the crowd for a precious few minutes. The Pokemon Trainer Red, Ness and Lucas were the first to head out onstage. The villains were busy discussing their plan, leaving Ike to explain to Link what had happened to Dedede.

"But how can that be possible?" Link asked, shocked about the impossibility of the villains transformation.

"They are using a Magic Koopa called Kamek to transform themselves. It's not against the rules unfortunately. The Master Hand gave them his approval last month from what I heard."

"That's why they wanted to use magic! I should have known. How will we beat them with our...substitutes? I'm not really sure if Marth's plan is going to work." Normally, Link wasn't doubtful of others but Marth's idea seemed a little...strange.

"It's going to work. Marth knows what he's doing," Ike reassured Link.

Link glanced at Dedede who was too engaged in a conversation to hear his next words. "But I have to admit, Dedede looks _better_ as a walrus than a penguin," Link whispered to Ike.

Ike chuckled at that. "I definitely agree with you there. Wouldn't it be funny if he was stuck in his walrus form after the Talent Show is over? It would be a great look for him."

"Yeah but I bet you five hundred coins that it won't happen," Link grumbled, hoping for something unfortunate to happen to the annoying penguin. "It's too good to be true."

Ike opened his mouth to respond when he caught glimpse of Meta Knight in the corner, Jigglypuff trying to comfort him. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"You mean Dedede? How should I know?" Link was completely clueless until Ike spoke again.

"No, I meant Meta Knight. I'm worried about him," Ike explained to Link who now understood what he meant.

"I hope he'll be all right. I've said before he will pull through somehow. He always does. He isn't a top tier for nothing. If anyone can do this, it's Meta Knight. I'm sure once he gets out there and gets into the act, it won't be as frightening." Ike nodded, somewhat reassured as Marth returned, bringing back their substitutes.

Link's jaw would have hit the ground and left behind a hole when he saw what Marth had brought back with him. "These are our substitute horses? What are you thinking?"

"They are all we have left. We need to make do with what he have." Link had to admit Marth was right, even if he doubted the idea of using smaller dragons to do the task.

"But where did you find those?" Link enquired the prince, still in shock.

"I have no time to explain. We will be up soon. We need to be ready," Marth replied. He glanced over at Meta Knight who was stiffened up, almost as if he had a death sentence hovering over his body. "Is he feeling all right?"

Link frowned. "I don't think so. He looks...nervous. That's quite unlike him."

"Can you wait here for a moment? I want to speak with him," Marth told the other two who nodded in understanding and went to tend to the dragons.

"It will be all right. You just need to believe in yourself," Jigglypuff told the knight who was still on edge with nerves. He swallowed again, finding her words unable to ease him inside.

"Jigglypuff, may I speak with him for a moment?" Marth asked. Jigglypuff, initially surprised, agreed and let the two speak in private. Marth hoped he would not make the situation worse. He took a deep breath and sat down next to Meta Knight who looked up with surprised eyes.

Quite taken aback by Marth's presence, Meta Knight tried even harder to relax himself. It would go against his honour to show any kind of fear in front of others. "Good evening Marth. Is something the matter?"

"To a point, yes," he said to Meta Knight in an equally calm tone. "Are you feeling all right?"

Why was everyone reading his emotions so easily? It was driving him insane. "I assure you, I am fine."

"That is not what I have been hearing. The others are worried about you. They can see that you are...nervous about presenting. You try to hide it but we can see it clearly." Marth had hit the hammer on the head saying that.

Meta Knight frowned behind the mask gazing at Marth with disapproving eyes. "I am more than ready to present. Why would you say I am nervous when I am capable of performing my act onstage?"

"In front of the million people out there? You would not feel nervous at all?" Realizing what the prince was getting at, Meta Knight sighed, realizing he was losing utterly.

He looked away, unable to describe how ashamed he was of himself. Why wouldn't he hide his emotions like he always did on an everyday basis? Was he becoming...soft? _Impossible. _"Was that all you wanted to know? That I am indeed dreading to perform?"

"I appreciate your honesty." It was then that Meta Knight realized what he said and covered his mouth. So much for trying to salvage a fraction of his pride.

"I didn't say that!" Meta Knight denied, losing his composure for a minute but to his astonishment, Marth didn't care.

"It's all right to feel nervous. None of us are laughing at you. You're not the only one who feels afraid." His words somewhat relieved Meta Knight. He looked back towards Marth, nodding in gratitude. "I accidentally overheard Link and Ike talking when I was helping to prepare for our act earlier. Link said if anyone could do this, you could. Like him, I believe in you."

"Did he truly say that?" Meta Knight asked, somewhat in a stunned disbelief.

Marth nodded. "That was what I heard Link say. But don't focus on the crowd. Just do the best you can Meta Knight. We all know you'll be fine. Both you and Jigglypuff worked hard for this. If the Master Hand saw no reason to evaluate you, he must have quite a bit of faith in you as well." Letting Marth's words comprehend in his mind for a moment, he realized the truth in them.

Meta Knight's eyes brightened a bit as he looked up at Marth again. "Thank you. That means a lot to me. But...I still dread to step onto that stage. I cannot rid of my _anxiety._"

He gave Meta Knight a gentle pat on the shoulder. "You and Jigglypuff work well together. You have nothing to worry about."

"I feel much better. Thank you very much." Meta Knight's frown was now a friendly smile. Even with the mask on, somehow, Marth could tell it was there.

Marth returned the smile. "Good luck Meta Knight, to both you and Jigglypuff."

"I wish you and your group the best of luck. I heard there was a problem with the horses," Meta Knight said, suddenly remembering the incident earlier.

"There was but it is solved now. It was mostly Link's fault but he was stressed lately so I cannot really blame him. At least we're able to perform now." Ike and Link made their way back in the room, both relieved to see Meta Knight and Marth relaxed.

"Feeling a little better Meta Knight?" Ike asked, still concerned at the same time.

"Considerably yes," he answered back in an honest relaxed tone. "Marth is a very supportive friend."

"That's good to hear. We were really worried for you. We're so glad you feel better." Link turned towards Marth. "He's right. You are very supportive. You should be proud."

Marth rubbed the back of his head, a bit awkward from the praise. "Don't mention it. It was nothing. I was really worried about Meta Knight."

Jigglypuff returned to the room, hugging Meta Knight. "I heard you were feeling better. I'm so glad you have a good friend like Marth. I really am happy for you."

"But when are we performing?" Meta Knight asked as the first group returned with expressions flooded with relief.

"We're not up for a while. There are a couple groups who are going first. Mario and Luigi should be up now, I think," Jigglypuff responded, glancing at the clock. "I wish there was something we could do to pass the time. The suspense is torture."

"I completely agree with you on that," Link groaned, gazing the group helplessly. "Is there anything we could do to pass the time? I'd do anything!"

"Anything?" Ike repeated, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"That's what I said," Link spoke, nodding. "I'd do anything."

"Then follow me. Let's pass the time, shall we?" Ike announced to the group.

"What is this plan?" Meta Knight questioned him, suspiciously. "Hopefully it does not involve breaking the rules."

"It won't. But you have to swear to secrecy you will not tell _anyone_," Ike replied. "We're going to give that fat walrus exactly what he deserves. How about it?"

"I say we do it," Jigglypuff suddenly piped up, surprising Meta Knight. "Dedede could definitely use a punishment!"

"Jigglypuff, are you agreeing to this? We do not know what Ike has in mind. It could be anything," Meta Knight warned but Jigglypuff passed the question off with a laugh.

"It can't be that bad. Come on Meta Knight, you're holding us up!" Before Meta Knight could argue, Jigglypuff took hold of his hand and practically dragged him alongside the whole way to the other room, which happened to be the villains make shift practise room.

A sign reading, **"Do Not Enter. Currently in Use,"** was nailed to the door. Meta Knight eyed the expressions of Link and Ike, as if to ask them what they planned to do. Marth stood back, not wanting anything to do with the plan but to watch at a safer distance.

"Why are we all standing by the villains' room?" Meta Knight quietly enquired, desperately hoping Ike's intentions were not anything dangerous.

"Like I said, we give the walrus what he deserves. He does deserve a taste of his own medicine, don't you agree?" Ike pointed out. Meta Knight was about to dispute the idea when he remembered the anger of being banned, when he was framed..._just for blackmail._

"I agree," came the reluctant reply from a still uncertain Meta Knight who couldn't help but feel he was doing the wrong thing. "As long as none of us will be in trouble."

"We won't," Ike assured with a serious yet mischievous expression. "Now could someone please help me up?"

"For what?" Jigglypuff couldn't understand what the mercenary was getting at.

"Look up there," Ike instructed, looking up at the top of the door. Jigglypuff was surprised to see a half open small window at the top but nodded, completely understanding his reasoning.

"Meta Knight, help Ike out," Jigglypuff whispered to him, pointing to the half open window. Meta Knight took the hint and lifted up Ike with seemingly relative ease. Jigglypuff's jaw dropped slightly from his strength.

"Thanks Meta Knight. Everyone, keep it down for a bit. There's something I really want to see," Ike said to the group who were careful not to make a sound.

Jigglypuff could hear the fans screaming at Mario and Luigi from the stage. It was still quite a while before they were expected to go anywhere. By the fans' screams, it was most likely Yoshi and Kirby were now performing. Time was slowly running out. _"Ike better make this quick or we'll all be late."_

"All right, I got it. Let me down, slowly," Ike commanded to Meta Knight who obeyed, being extra careful setting Ike back down. "I told you this wouldn't get us in trouble! Didn't I tell you so?"

"You did but what did you do?" Jigglypuff asked. "You can't get back at Dedede by spying on him."

Ike folded his arms. "I was what you call being an observer. Just keeping an eye on Kamek's behaviour. I could use this to my advantage."

Jigglypuff sighed, aggravated with Ike's logic. "But how will this get revenge on Dedede? You haven't done anything!"

Ike smirked. "Not yet. You'll have to wait and see."

Jigglypuff pouted but Meta Knight wrapped an arm around her. "Listen to Ike and be patient. I think he knows what he is doing."

"Have you already caught on to _what _he's doing?" Jigglypuff asked him, still pouting.

"Even if I did, I would not tell you," Meta Knight whispered gently to her. Jigglypuff wanted to so much to argue against his decision but before she could think of anything to say, he lifted his mask up a little and kissed her on the cheek. She blinked, dazed, still in wonder if she had imagined it.

Ike was chuckling a little but when Meta Knight turned to face him, he quickly fell silent. "Exactly when do you perform Ike?"

"It depends. The villains are really eager to get it so it may be a while. We should be after them, I think," Ike said, looking over his shoulder. "I wonder what happened to Link. He was here a minute ago. Do you know where he went?"

Jigglypuff shook her head. "Nope, no clue. I hope it's nothing that will get him in trouble."

"Ganondorf is in that room," Meta Knight reminded them, pointing to the door Ike was recently spying through. Jigglypuff looked confused until it clicked in her mind what the problem was.

"Link's going to do something bad to Ganondorf, isn't he?" She hoped he wouldn't do anything reckless just for competition.

Ike turned to Meta Knight. "Could you help me up again? I want to look into that room."

Meta Knight obliged and lifted Ike up who gazed into the window. His eyes widened when he saw them all in their transformed states. "Link must be crazy if he wants to 'settle the score' with Ganondorf. Look how big he is," he whispered.

"Ah, I suppose he is now Beast Ganon," Meta Knight stated. "Most of them seem to be in their Final Smash forms."

"Except for Dedede and Wolf. But why was Dedede turned into a walrus?"

"I wouldn't ask," Jigglypuff said. "We're better off not knowing. Do you see Link?"

Giving one last check, he shook his head. "No. All right Meta Knight, let me down now, careful." He looked around the hallway. "Link isn't anywhere. Where could he be?"

"Maybe with Marth. They agreed to tend to the dragons," Meta Knight once again stated. Ike facepalmed, seeing there was no need to look through the window the second time.

"Why didn't you say that before? That would have saved us some time," Ike groaned, heading for the makeshift stables Marth set up in a vacant room. "Link is here! Meta Knight, really, you could have told me earlier. I hope the villains didn't see me this time."

"It would not be my problem, now would it?" Jigglypuff shoved him lightly.

"Meta Knight, be nice. You had that coming," Jigglypuff told him, giggling.

"How did it go?" Marth asked as Link fell off the dragon with a thud as it growled at him with detest. Wincing, Ike gave a thumbs up seeing the pained expression on Link's face.

"I have it all planned out. I know exactly what to do," Ike replied, a smirk tugging back on his lips despite his brief sympathy for Link whose dragon did not seem to take a liking to him.

Jigglypuff was quick to jump in on the conversation. "That's really great that you know what to do, but none of us know what you're doing! How's that fair?"

Footsteps passed by at a very tremendous speed. Jigglypuff whirled around to see the transformed villains hurry by. "It's their turn to go onstage. We're up soon!"

"But I haven't learned how to ride this dragon. It hates me," Link complained, averting his gaze from the dragon's narrowing eyes as if it could understand what he was saying.

A frown from his teammates followed his response. "I'm sorry to say this Link but that's tough luck. Without the dragons, we'd be in nowhere land right now," Ike reminded him. "But I have to admit, I'm curious what the villains are doing. Let's watch them. Who's with me?"

Meta Knight was the first to stand. Still unsure, Jigglypuff decided to go along with Meta Knight. Link followed, standing up from the ground as his dragon gave a threatening hiss. Link shivered, taking small steps backwards.

"Don't hurt me," he whispered, hoping his disagreeable dragon would have mercy.

"Link, hurry!" Ike shouted from the doorway. Link shot his dragon a glare before bolting in the other direction before its claw could extend out towards him.

The villains were in the middle of performing a variety of different acrobats in the newly transformed states. Jigglypuff could only find their strategy impressive. So far, they seemed to be up to no trouble; possibly a miracle in Smash Brothers history.

"They are quite good," Jigglypuff complimented as Dedede dived into a pool of water, jumping through the rings flawlessly. "What do you guys think?"

"They thought it through pretty well. I am surprised," Ike said, observing their performance carefully. "What about you Link?"

Link was about to utter some remark about topping Ganondorf but he held it back. "They did put a lot of thought into it. If they aren't causing trouble...it's not a problem. No competition here. Just teamwork."

"You're absolutely right," Ike agreed, grateful Link had got the message at last.

"But can we trade dragons? Mine hates me, I'm serious," Link asked, a desperate expression on his face. Ike chuckled.

"Deal with it. Mine already likes me. It won't leave me for a second." Link groaned, dreading to face his dragon again.

"For the first time, I am quite impressed with Dedede," Meta Knight quietly admitted. "He seemed to put quite a bit of effort on his part." He received a couple shocked stares from Ike, Link and Jigglypuff but for once, he didn't care, quite secure with his opinion. He knew King Dedede better than the three, having to be his servant in the past. The Master Hand began to turn around and the group quickly retreated before they could be caught, spying in.

"That was close," Ike said, sighing with relief. "That could have ended up badly."

Meta Knight raised a non-existent eyebrow. "In other words, that was against the rules and you had neglected to inform us."

Ike sweatdropped under the masked knight's disapproving gaze. "Sorry about that."

Said knight gave a small shrug. "Do not worry about it. I am not mad at you." He reached over and took hold of Jigglypuff's hand. She blushed, not used to the gesture in the presence of others.

The group of successful villains returned backstage receiving high fives from the others, the fans screaming at a deafening pitch. Even the others seemed pleased with the performance. Meta Knight nodded approvingly as Dedede passed by who grinned at him in a completely agreeable mood.

"I think we're up next," Jigglypuff suddenly spoke up causing Meta Knight's heart to thunder rapidly. His hands shook, beads of sweat dropping from his forehead.

"I cannot," he whispered, leaning backwards against the wall. Jigglypuff bit her lip, feeling the fast pulse with Meta Knight's wrist. She turned towards Link's group, eyes wide with fear.

"He's not feeling well. What should I do? They're getting impatient out there!" The fans screamed louder, Jigglypuff cringing at the sound.

"We'll go first," Marth spoke up. "Meta Knight can calm down until then. I'm sure the Master Hand will not notice. Ike, Link, get the dragons. We're up now."

"Now?" Link began when Ike dragged him to the stables.

"Yep. We better hurry. And we're not trading dragons, get over it." With a last groan and sigh, Link gave in to retrieve his ferocious dragon. For being a small one, it seemed as vicious as an untamed one three times his size.

"Meta Knight, are you okay?" Jigglypuff asked, setting him down on an armchair. Luckily, no one else could see them, otherwise, the tension would have been a lot worse.

Meta Knight forced a smile. "I suppose this is what others called stagefright."

Jigglypuff pulled the mask up, knowing for certain the swordsmen trio would not risk intruding upon the moment. "It will be like we always had done in the bedroom, our dance. Our moment to shine. Trust me." Meta Knight smiled, using a conveniently placed folded handkerchief in his suit pocket to wipe away the sweat from his now exposed forehead.

"Our moment to shine," he repeated, too focused on Jigglypuff to hear what he was saying. "It will be as we practised...You look quite nice Jigglypuff."

She giggled, quite taken aback by the change of subject but she held him close to her, her lips against his for a full minute, their hearts racing wildly with passion. When the fans screamed with enthusiasm, they were both reminded of the crowd and pulled apart, hoping another Smasher didn't see them kissing.

Jigglypuff jumped when she heard the distinct growl from one of the dragons. "I guess...we got a bit carried away, didn't we? Is Link's group still out there?"

"Most likely," Meta Knight replied, hearing the dragons growling as though they were by his side. "We should be waiting for our turn. I am fully ready this time."

Jigglypuff beamed. "That's great! But you forgot to put on your mask!"

Meta Knight quickly took hold of it, irritated he almost forgot to take it with him. One kiss could really blow his mind. He attached it back to his face, Jigglypuff unable to understand how he tied the straps without any difficulties.

Three triumphant swordsmen came in, their dragons following behind in a good mood. "We did it," Link cheered. "My dragon was a big pain but I still did it! The fans loved us!"

"Wonderful," Jigglypuff said, grinning at them. "I think Meta Knight's feeling a little better now."

"That is good to hear," Marth replied. "Because the fans are waiting for you." Both Meta Knight and Jigglypuff's names' were being screamed out by several fans. Jigglypuff took hold of Meta Knight's hand, leading them to the stage.

"Ready?"

"More than I ever will be." With that, Meta Knight took a deep breath and stepped onstage with Jigglypuff at his side. People were small dots, surrounding the stage to the limit. Meta Knight swallowed nervously, hoping he wouldn't lose his footing as the Master Hand made yet another brief announcement.

"Presenting to you the art of dancing, Meta Knight and Jigglypuff!" the Master Hand said into the microphone. It was surprising how the screaming fans could even hear him speak. Or if they were listening to him in the first place.

Meta Knight had his arms on Jigglypuff's waist, hers on his shoulders as the Master Hand adjusted the lighting. The once bright light dimmed down to a deep blue. He and Jigglypuff took small steps back and forth getting into the rhythm quite easily. He did know the routine fairly well despite the pressure.

It was ironic a love song had been chosen for their act but at the same time, it was reasonable. Meta Knight gently lifted here up and twirled around to face them in the opposite direction. She leaned back, his hands preventing her from falling. Jigglypuff allowed herself to be pulled back up and spun again. It felt like they were flying as the music proceeded into the instrumental chorus.

Jigglypuff glanced down, seeing the ground a mere couple feet below her. Meta Knight's cape seemed to defy gravity as they hovered up even higher. Meta Knight never had done that in practise but Jigglypuff trusted Meta Knight's instinct and held on tightly, leaning back, the quite breeze calming.

They landed softly, this time Jigglypuff lifting Meta Knight up. She remembered the first time they practised that move, her face was as red as a tomato. Now she did it without breaking a sweat or another inconvenient blush. His body was easy to lift, quite light, most of the weight he had being his armour.

The dance became closer and more romantic as the song continued on. Rather than leaning back, they leaned against each other like a couple deeply in love.

The lights faded for a moment before glowing a light shade of pink. Absolutely perfect for the mood. Meta Knight twirled her around, now carrying Jigglypuff in his arms as he would a bride. "Awwwws," could be heard quite frequently but Meta Knight was too into the moment to notice the crowd anymore.

He stepped under the light, his mask glowing under the breathtaking light. A fangirl or two could have fainted on the spot. It was as though time existed no longer with his supposed 'love' in his arms. Though deep down, he loved her very much.

They leaned against each other's shoulders, now reverting to the evenly spaced steps to the sides. Meta Knight put aside any doubts he had left about the last and final step of the presentation. He spun Jigglypuff using one hand, the other lifting his mask halfway up. Jigglypuff's heart nearly stopped.

"_This was not what we did in practise. What is he doing?"_ He pulled the still shocked Jigglypuff closer to him, their mouths meeting for a few seconds, and then he pulled the mask down over his face. After one last twirl, they landed, holding hands, their act coming to an unexpected close as Meta Knight leaned forward to kiss Jigglypuff again, the disco lights shining on them the whole time. Jigglypuff was still shocked he would do that, even if he didn't fully take the mask off.

The audience cheered loudly, many standing up applauding them. Meta Knight blushed from the praise, chuckling softly as the Master Hand finished making another announcement, letting the two go back behind the stage again.

The Smashers even joined in with the cheering, having peeked through the curtains themselves. Meta Knight's face was bright red behind the mask but he didn't find it within himself to regret his actions during the performance. A few whistled as he passed by which didn't help him get over his nerves.

"That was part of the act," he argued, hoping he wouldn't be teased any longer.

"Try again next time Meta Knight. We know you're a terrible liar. And by the way, nice moves out there," Ike said, grinning ear to ear. Meta Knight scowled, turning away.

The room was somewhat quieter when another group left to perform. Meta Knight collapsed onto the armchair, his feet resting on the pillow. Jigglypuff lay beside him, against his mask which Meta Knight had eventually grown to enjoy.

"I thought you didn't like taking the mask off," Jigglypuff said to him once they were comfortable.

"Not especially but at the time, it seemed fit," he explained to her before she reached out and tried to once again figure out the straps of his mask. It was complete genius how he tied those things. But slowly and carefully, Jigglypuff slid the mask up. Meta Knight sighed and finished untying the straps, knowing this was a battle he would never win. What he dreaded were the reactions of the others but he was who he was regardless of the mask.

He sighed and after some thinking, he put the mask away in his cape, completely awkward. Thundering footsteps in the hallway caught their attention and saw that fans of all ages swarmed the area.

"Look, it's the big fat stupid walrus! Get him!" an old man could be heard commanding. Dedede was trying to run but he could only go at the pace of a snail, leaving him vulnerable to the rampaging fans. He eventually gave in to the attention, seeing as this was a first moment he got a lot of good attention that he earned himself.

Meta Knight winced a little as the fans kept swarming him one after the other. He wrapped an arm around Jigglypuff and led her backstage with the others, deciding to leave Dedede be, neglecting to notice Ike slip into the villains makeshift meeting room.

The other villains had been turned back to normal except for Dedede. Ike easily spotted Kamek sleeping in the corner and slammed the door causing the magic Koopa's head to look up to see who it was. Ike opened the door and pointed to the hallway opposite of Dedede and the fans. "Look, an obvious distraction!"

The Koopa immediately responded by climbing back onto its broom and soaring past the stadium filled with fans, trying to go in the direction Ike had given it, oblivious it was leaving the Smash Mansion, leaving Dedede still in his walrus form. Ike chuckled before leaving the room and letting the door close softly behind him. His work was done.

* * *

All the Smashers were seated in the meeting room, once again waiting for the Master Hand to arrive. Meta Knight and Jigglypuff held hands, sharing one seat. It was not as much of a shock that they were a couple but Meta Knight's face had even been a bigger shock. As they impatiently waited for the right handed glove to arrive, a few could only snicker at Dedede's misfortune of being stuck as a fat and overweight blue walrus.

Dedede was sulking in the corner, wondering what could have possibly gone wrong with Kamek. Not a trace left of the Koopa was able to be found when the villains agreed to turn him back to his normal self.

The Master Hand came in the room, quieter than usual. Even the Crazy Hand seemed calm. Everyone glanced at each other in confusion, wondering what they were hiding.

"Good morning," the Master Hand greeted the uncertain Smashers who muttered a greeting in return. "I am pleased to tell you the Talent Show was a success. The fans dearly loved each and every one of your performances." They all let out sighs of relief, the mood quite tranquil from that point on. "You all should be proud of yourselves. You all done well for making this a memorable moment of the tournament. Rules were followed and nothing went wrong."

"But what about me?" Dedede demanded. "I want my original body back! I'm tired of being a walrus!"

"That is indeed unfortunate but considering how far Kamek lives, it could take a while for him to arrive." Dedede groaned and slumped in the corner. "But we will do what we can."

Meta Knight turned to look at Ike who smirked in return. Meta Knight nodded, smiling behind his mask which he had back on his face for the time being.

Ike turned to Link, nudging him on the shoulder. "And by the way Link, you owe me five hundred coins." Link remembered the bet he made last night and groaned.

"Great," he muttered, sarcastically.


	87. Messed Up Creativity 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers. **

**Chapter Eighty Seven**

**Chapters 72-86**

_Messed Up Creativity 5_

"Meta Knight, wake up!"

He groaned softly as Jigglypuff's round eyes stared into his. She sighed from exasperation.

"I've spent five minutes trying to wake you up," she said to him. He collapsed back on the bed much to her dismay.

"Go away and let me sleep in peace," he whispered. "I did not get any sleep last night." The annoyed expression did not leave her face.

"You're waking up and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

He sat up, eyes wide. "No, don't!"

Jigglypuff tied him up with his bedsheets and proceeded to spin him around, then tossed him out the window. Meta Knight's screaming could be heard miles away.

Meta Knight grabbed the nearest tree branch as not to be flown into someone else' yard. "You will pay for this Jigglypuff!"

"You don't even have to come back!" Jigglypuff called out.

Meta Knight eyed what he assumed was the Master Hand's meeting room and charged at supersonic speed, causing every living thing he passed to become nothing but dust. He sobbed as his wings hit the window, his body flattened. It suddenly cracked causing him to scream. His wings continued to fly him forward, his first target he hit being the Master Hand's computer.

He dived down through the ground, destroying a good portion of the floor which led him to the meeting room.

As the others were about to leave the cafeteria, an announcement rang out on the crackling intercom. "All Smashers report to the Meeting Room in- why isn't this thing working?" After a distinct punch could be heard, the voice continued speaking. "I repeat, all Smashers report to the Meeting Room in five minutes. Thank you." As the Master Hand finished speaking, the sound of fried wires could be heard in the background and the sound of an explosion. A result of another one of the Crazy Hand's hyper spasms.

"Should we help the fool?" Jigglypuff asked.

Meta Knight gave a thumbs down. "No way. Let him burn."

They were one of the first ones to reach the Meeting Room first. As Sonic was the first to arrive, Meta Knight used his wings and in flight, causing the hedgehog to lose balance and land on top of Bowser, saying his signature phrase, "IMMA FIRING MAH LAZOR!" Everyone was used to it by now but they were still annoyed at the Shoop da Whoop quote.

"What do you think this meeting is about?" Jigglypuff asked Meta Knight once Sonic finally got himself off of Bowser.

"Your mom." Deep down, he did have a nagging suspicion it had to be something great.

In the hours of waiting, everyone had gotten drunk by the time the Master Hand arrived shortly after, and as usual, the Crazy Hand being in the fetal position.

"It's the White Hand of the White Man! We're all going to die!" Meta Knight gasped. Everyone suddenly began to panic, annoying the Master Hand.

"Shut up everyone! I regret to say that the Crazy Hand nearly died. He had another one of his...heart attacks. But moving on to more important matters than some stupid disembodied hand, it may concern you that my long lost nephew has died. And from now until the end of July, I will be doing nothing but feeling sorry for myself."

"Are we done here? I've got to take a crap," could be made out among the many voices that spoke at the same time.

The Master Hand was about to reply when the group started shaking. Meta Knight screamed as Sonic who was charging up his lazor. "It's over 9000! He's got a power level of over 9000!"

"What, 9000? There's no way that can be right!" Jigglypuff argued.

"I'MMA FIRING MAH AWESOME LAZOR OF DOOM!" Everything in the Universe turned to dust, the Smashers meeting an unfortunate end from the epicness of 9000.

Jigglypuff avoided the Smashers' gazes as she proceeded to order herself a salad. Meta Knight was about to take a seat with the swordsmen, deciding to feel somewhat social when Ike pulled the chair out even farther resulting in Meta Knight falling on the ground. The others held back laughter at his misfortune.

"Hey Meta Knight, you fell for it," Ike chuckled. Meta Knight glared at the grinning swordsman.

"Good evening. Are you ready for the Talent Show?" At that, Ike nodded.

"You better believe it. Last week, everything was absolutely perfect," Ike said, his hand pushing his bangs away from his face. "But tonight, everything went all wrong. And it was all Link's fault."

"My fault?" Link asked, standing up from his seat. "This was all your idea!"

"Excuse me?" warned Ike. "You came up with this stupid act in the first place. Don't put the blame on me."

"What about you and Jigglypuff?" Marth suddenly spoke up, trying to change the subject. "I thought you two were partners."

"You have gone insane," Meta Knight said to Marth. "But I believe I am ready. I abandoned Jigglypuff at the last moment and decided to make an act of my own."

"I can't blame you," Ike agreed, before frowning. "You completely suck at dancing."

"I do not!" Meta Knight snapped. Ike gave him a small shove.

"You do," Ike said to him. "Can't blame you for being so prideful."

"You believe I am prideful?" Meta Knight asked.

Ike rolled his eyes. "_Very_ much." Just as he started an arm wrestle with Meta Knight, Link, who had been completely ignored, was starting to fall asleep. Marth took a seat next to Link, who was angry at being left out.

Meta Knight, meanwhile, had successfully beat Ike. "You've been owned! So there!" Marth and Link turned to face Meta Knight and Ike with a worried look on their faces.

"You okay?" Link asked him. "You...sound stressed out."

Meta Knight immediately refused to believe it. "I am not. This has nothing to do with you two. Now if you please..." Link shrugged and left Meta Knight and Ike to fight again. They could hear a protest from the other side of the room.

"I can't believe they let him back in," Peach complained. "I thought the Master Hand would have executed Dedede."

Lo and behold, Dedede was standing in the doorway, the rest of his team standing behind him, grinning ear to ear before tumbling down on the ground, tangled up. The heroes stood up, the calm atmosphere of the room, dissolving into nothingness.

Mario was the first to break the eerie silence, not noticing the villains were in a big heap on the floor. "I-a thought the Master Hand killed you."

"I reckon he changed his mind," Dedede said, not noticing every other face was glaring in his direction. "The guy loves me. Can you blame that marvellous hand?"

"You-a should have been executed," Luigi said, siding with Mario.

"The Master Hand _is_ my hero," Ike muttered. The whole room went silent with the odd chuckle every now and then. Meta Knight laughed so hard, he fell out his chair.

"This is ridiculous," Peach said. "After the trouble you caused, why are you still allowed to live? I can't believe this!"

"Everybody gets nine thousand chances," Dedede said in reply. "Now if you'll excuse me..." All the villains finally untangled themselves and began to leave. Everyone exchanged looks of disbelief.

"I revere the Master Hand," Meta Knight muttered under his breath. "Dedede will be up to nothing bad. He absolutely won't misbehave at the Talent Show."

"I hate to break it to you but you are a really big idiot. No offence Mr. Blueberry," Ike reminded Meta Knight.

"That was your fault for attempting to mutate me," Meta Knight objected. "And a mistake on my behalf for believing you. You must die."

"All right, I get it," Ike said, realizing he was close to crossing the line. "But if you what's good for you, you'll watch your steps."

"Nonsense!" Meta Knight growled standing up. As he lifted his chin up and marched out the door, a crash could be heard a second later as he tripped over an inconveniently placed banana peel and landed head first into the incinerator.

Everyone gasped as their most loved blueberry was nothing more than pieces left behind in the in garbage bin.

"I agree with you Ike," Link said, smiling with glee. "Meta Knight should have watched his steps."

"I won't have to worry about the blueberry anymore now," Ike said, causing a few others to laugh with him.

Jigglypuff came back with a soda in her hands. "Sorry I'm late. Has anyone seen Meta Knight? I had a long wait at the cafeteria." She glanced at the Smashers with a confused expression. "Did I miss anything?"

Ike was chuckling a little but when Meta Knight turned to face him, he quickly fell silent. "Exactly when do you perform Ike?"

Ike cursed under his breath. "I completely forgot. The villains are really eager to get it so it may be a while. We should be after them, I think," Ike said, looking over his shoulder. "I wonder what happened to Link. He wasn't here a minute ago. Do you know where he went?"

Jigglypuff nodded. "Yep, he went over there."

"Ganondorf is in that room," Meta Knight reminded them, pointing to the door Jigglypuff lead them to.

"Link's going to do something bad to Ganondorf. We have to stop him." She hoped he wouldn't do anything reckless just for competition.

Ike turned to Meta Knight. "Could you help me up again? I want to look into that room."

Meta Knight groaned and tried to lift Ike up but lost his balance and fell over. Ike glared at Meta Knight and tried jumping to peek through the window. His eyes widened when he saw them all in their transformed states. "Link must be crazy if he wants to 'settle the score' with Ganondorf. Look how ugly the monster is," he whispered. "He could be the Master Hand's twin brother."

"Ah, I suppose he now looks like me," Meta Knight stated. "That's great."

"Why was Dedede turned into a big, fat ugly beast? That must be really degrading."

"I wouldn't ask," Jigglypuff said. "We're better off not knowing. Do you see Link?"

Giving one last check, Ike stepped forward when Meta Knight stuck out his foot and Ike fell through the door which collapsed without much effort. "Hi guys," Ike said in a quiet voice before bolting down the hallway. "Link isn't anywhere. Where could he be?"

"Maybe with Marth. They agreed to tend to the dragons," Meta Knight once again stated. Ike collapsed on the ground, moaning before Meta Knight promptly grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the makeshift stables Marth set up in a vacant room.

"Link _is_ here! Meta Knight, really, you could have told me earlier."

"It would not be my problem, now would it?" Jigglypuff shoved him lightly causing Meta Knight to land into the bails of hay. Jigglypuff gasped.

"Meta Knight, I'm sorry!"

"How did it go?" Marth asked as Link fell off the dragon with a brief crack, his back hitting the ground, as the dragon growled at him with detest. Wincing, Ike gave a thumbs down seeing the pained expression on Link's face.

"Meta Knight made me mess up," Ike replied, a smirk tugging back on his lips seeing that Link's dragon did not seem to take a liking to him.

Footsteps passed by at a very slow speed, the floorboards starting to crack. Jigglypuff whirled around to see the transformed villains walk by, wolf whistling every person they passed by. "It's their turn to go onstage. We're up soon!"

"But I haven't learned how to ride this dragon. It hates me," Link complained, averting his gaze from the dragon's narrowing eyes as if it could understand what he was saying. The dragon exhaled a hot breath of fire, resulting in Link running around the room, his rear in flames.

A frown from his teammates followed his response. "I'm sorry to say this Link but that's tough luck. Without the dragons, we'd be in nowhere land right now," Ike reminded him, not noticing the dancing flames igniting the Hylian. "But I have to admit, I'm curious what the villains are doing. Let's watch them. Who's with me?"

Meta Knight was the first to stand. Still unsure, Jigglypuff decided to go along with Meta Knight. Link continued to run in circles and scream as his dragon gave a threatening hiss. Link shivered, taking small steps backwards.

"Don't hurt me," he whispered, hoping his disagreeable dragon would have mercy. The dragon's claw extended out towards him, satisfied he found his evening snack.

****BLOOPERS MY BROTHER MADE****

Meta Knight was sleeping outside the door, which hit him full force when Jigglypuff stepped out of the Roost. Jigglypuff gasped seeing him clutch his sore body.

"Oh my goodness Meta Knight, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there," Jigglypuff said.

"You did not notice a small blueberry such as myself?"

Her stomach growled.

"Let us go back to the Smash Mansion," Meta Knight said ignoring Jigglypuff's stomach. Jigglypuff shook her head (also her body).

"I'm hungry."

Meta Knight sighed impatiently. "The Smash Mansion is very near. You can eat later."

Jigglypuff glared at said blueberry. "I'm getting something to eat and you're coming with me." At the same time, she felt uneasy inside. Usually when she was with her mom, she would ask if she wanted anything to eat, leaving that decision up to her.

"_He must really hate me...but in a different way."_

Meta Knight opened the door for her in a chivalrous manner, but then he pushed Jigglypuff before she got in, went inside, and shut the door behind him. She yelled at him, "Hey, what's the big idea?"

"You're not welcome here," he said, taking a seat.

"Can I get you anything?" the waitress asked Meta Knight.

"I'll just have a steak," Meta Knight replied. "And give me an extra sharp knife."

"Okay," the waitress said before leaving.

Jigglypuff scowled as she entered. No sooner did she get in however did Meta Knight fly across the room, push her out the door again, and shoved his sword between the handles, effectively locking her out.

Meta Knight laughed softly before flying back to his chair.

Jigglypuff growled. "I'm getting in there, and there's nothing he can do to stop me!"

After saying that, Jigglypuff took a few steps back, rolled herself into a ball, and charged the glass doors. They broke without much resistance and before she knew it, Jigglypuff was standing inside the restaurant.

"Ah, Jigglypuff! Please, sit next to me!" Meta Knight called from across the room, pulling a chair out for her.

Jigglypuff was confused about Meta Knight's sudden personality change and was a bit suspicious. Nevertheless, she crossed the room and prepared to sit down. But as she was sitting, Meta Knight pulled the chair back more and Jigglypuff landed not on the chair but on the ground.

Meta Knight laughed at her with an expression that Jigglypuff would have assumed as pure sadism. She cried as the waitress returned, wondering how Meta Knight could eat when she was on the ground right next to him.

The waitress returned with the steak and knife and placed them in front of Meta Knight.

"Thank you. Now go away!" Meta Knight bellowed.

"Of course!" She cringed at Meta Knight before departing.

"Why don't you get off the ground, fatso?" Meta Knight said to Jigglypuff in between abnormally large mouthfuls of steak.

Jigglypuff got up and sat in the chair on the opposite side of Meta Knight. The last thing she wanted was to be anywhere near the freak. As another waitress passed by, she ordered a salad, keeping her eyes focused on Meta Knight as she did so. He glared at her from his seat. As soon as the waitress was out of sight, he spoke.

"Yeah, good idea, getting a salad. You're so fat, if you eat another hamburger, you won't be able to fit through the doors."

"Meta Knight, how dare you! That's it, I'm leaving." With that, Jigglypuff got up and started walking toward the doors.

"If you know what's good for you, you will sit back down," Meta Knight said, not looking up from his steak.

Now Jigglypuff was scared. Meta Knight was certainly not himself. She didn't know what he was going to do next. She sat back down, glancing at him nervously.

"I think you dropped something when you rolled through the doors. Go outside, get it, and come back."

Jigglypuff looked up suddenly. It was a strange demand.

"Do it."

Soundlessly, she obeyed. She walked out the doors and looked around on the ground for any sign of anything unusual. She didn't find anything and was just about to head back to the restaurant when she heard a noise.

"Goodbye, Jigglypuff."

She turned around just in time to see Meta Knight standing above her with a knife in his hand. She instantly jumped back and yelled for help.

"Hey, that guy just tried to kill someone!" yelled someone inside. "Call the cops before he gets away."

Pretty soon, the manager was calling 911 and police sirens could be heard close by. Meta Knight looked around. There was no escape.

Jigglypuff woke up with a start. What a strange dream she had. She never had a dream like that before, and it was very frightening. But she knew that Meta Knight would never try to do anything like that to her.

She got out of bed and went down to the kitchen to get her breakfast. On her way there, however, she dropped something. As she bent down to pick it up, she heard a noise from behind her...

"In other words, my plan ended up epicly failing," Ganondorf said, summarizing the conversation in one sentence. "Since Dedede has the camera with all our videos on it, it will be up to him to post it on YouTube for the world to see."

"I thought Dedede was caught trying to get some more videos," Bowser recalled, causing Ganondorf to groan.

"I lost the camera thanks to that puffball," he screamed.

"You lost it?" Wolf asked, eying Dedede but with a hidden smirk on his face. "That's going to go over well with the boss over here."

Ganondorf stood up from his seat. "Dedede, I believe I will be paying for a new camera. And if you can find the one who seemingly lost, I would _love_ to see you delete the pictures you did manage to get before you messed up on your mission."

Dedede stood up too, outraged. "How did I mess up? It was your fault I fell!"

"You forgot to turn on the flash. I simply gave you away," Ganondorf said. Dedede raised his hand, as if to give Ganondorf a high five...

"At least I'm as gullible as the Master Hand! He completely fell off the roof," Dedede said, with pride in his voice. "It must take a lot to push that right handed freak."

"It would be a really bad idea if you stopped talking now," Bowser said. "You're in enough trouble as it is."

"How? I got you in trouble. What could possibly go wrong?" Dedede asked, poking the Koopa's nose.

"Let me talk," Ganondorf said. "It is my own death wish."

"If I can kill the Master Hand, our plan is guaranteed to work! After I finish this video, we're all going to look like idiots!" Dedede felt a tap on his shoulder. He gulped as he stared in shocked silence at said-gullible-right handed freak. "Um, hai, Master Hand. Good morning."

"If being an assassin was your forte, you should have decided to do that for the Talent Show, not for killing another fellow Smasher. I can't believe you would be honest to me like this. I would like to have a talk with you immediately. Normally I would wait 3 years, 4 months, 7 weeks, 2 days, 9 hours, 23 minutes, and one second, but I'm not in a patient mood right now. Come quickly. There's time to waste," the Master Hand said.

The villains normally would have found the situation depressing but knowing they all could be home free, they all hooted and hollered as the Master Hand left the room with Dedede dancing behind (think of one of his taunts mixed with his Final Smash XD).

"I warned the walrus," Ganondorf said. The others could have sworn he was crying when he turned away.

She could imagine the dull, dreary colours of the disco lights darkening the dance floor again. It seemed like the ideal way for her nightmare to come true, perhaps a deadly act. Hands holding feet in the spotlight surrounded by excited zombies...Nothing could be better than a fantasy never to come true.

Jigglypuff wanted to make it happen. She planned on signing both of them up 500 times before the day began. Before the breakfast rush hour began and while it was still calm, she saw this as her chance to sign up before they were noticed on the list. The Master Hand always kept it in the basement under high surveillance. Very soon, she would be signed up without anyone noticing they had skipped later.

She had reached the basement office when she noticed something immediately out of place. No paper on the ceiling. It was gone without a trace of its existence. She pressed her hand against the door and stopped breathing. There had to be some kind of mistake.

As her skin made contact with the metal, the alarms on the ceiling suddenly blared as if to alert the Smash Mansion that nothing had happened and to cause more panic for no apparent reason. She gasped, eyes made of concrete.

"_What am I going to do!"_

Suddenly, from a distance, a S.W.A.T. team appeared out of nowhere fully geared up. They noticed Jigglypuff and raised their rifles. After a few seconds of ear-splitting gunfire, Jigglypuff collapsed on the ground, never to rise again.

Meanwhile, Meta Knight upstairs was having a delicious pizza.


	88. Season 6 Part 1: Episode Sixty Nine

**My new Season is finally up. Or precisely, Season 6, Part 1. This Season is split in two parts:) There's about 30 updates for the Season Finale according to my guide but it could change. I'm quite excited to write the story myself. I'm having a lot of fun already. Hopefully you enjoy the first chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

* * *

**Alone in Sacrifice**

**Season 6 Part 1**

**Chapter Eighty Eight**

**Episode Sixty Nine**

_Invitation, Jigglypuff's POV_

The burning heat had to be the most dreadful factor in my everyday life.

Hour after hour, I performed various tasks around the garden or the house just to be paid minimum wage everyday striving to live for tomorrow. I regretted living in such a hot climate in the first place. If there is anything that really bothers me, it's the blazing sun leaving burns on various parts of my body that ached for days afterwards.

Minimum wage got me, my sister and my trainer through life so far. I take pride in my work as an employed Pokemon. I'm not skilled in the ways of battle but for jobs, I perform my tasks to the best of my ability. My employer regrets giving me minimum wage. If the conditions here were not as brutal, I know he would pay me more for my efforts. I wanted the job with all my heart and show my appreciation with every hour I spent working. Many Pokemon were turned down. I'm lucky to have this job.

I gazed at the sky which was nearly blinding with the sunlight. My eyes watered as I looked away back to the ground. I felt an aching pain in my shoulder but I knew by now it was a sunburn. They were especially hard to tough out.

My hand gingerly patted the burn, the touch agitating the skin. Wincing, I withdrew my hand, which returned to my watering can. It was torture to water fields of several crops but I knew it had to be done in this dreaded heat. Should crops spoil, my pay would be deducted as a result. Living on less pay meant I would give up my meals for my trainer and sister. I have gone hungry before in the past but none of the experiences were pleasant.

I let a few drops land on my hand which I used to cool down my sweat coated forehead. I would have moved away from this location but financially it would not work out. Starving to death was the only way to even get the closest sufficient amount of money available. That option was rejected by my trainer.

"_I don't want you to die," he told her. "I want my Purin to live on. And maybe have a family."_

_My face flushed. "I don't want to think about having children!"_

My trainer was a teaser but I liked that about him. It isn't like I am too young to have children but mentally, I'm not ready. I set aside the now empty watering can and headed back to my employer who was digging vigorously at the ground, planting more seeds to grow new crops.

"I see you got the fields done. Thank you very much," he spoke, a smile of gratitude on his face.

"You're welcome. Is there anything else I can do for you?" I asked him, who glanced at my burned shoulder with a look of worry.

He shook his head. "You are done for the day. It will be getting dark soon. Do you want anything to help that burn?"

"I'm fine," I replied, too guilty to take anything from another person. "Thank you for the offer."

"Be careful Jigglypuff," the employer warned me as I turned around. "The weather is supposed to be stormy tonight. I don't want you getting hurt out there."

"I'll be fine," I assured him, trying to let him understand worrying for me was unnecessary.

His worry didn't vanish from my confident tone. He took the watering can from me, whispering another thank you. I smiled, ignoring the pain from my burned shoulder. Not many employers showed compassion for their employed Pokemon. I'm lucky to have him as my employer.

I carried my shawl in my exhausted arms and headed back to the forest, my only route I could take back home. It was either that or burn alive in the fiery desert. The heat I couldn't take but the forest I could. At least I had my shawl if I got cold. I hurried under the protection of the trees as the raindrops began to fall from the sky. They stung my burn quite a bit; unfortunately, it was worse than I thought it was. The area was completely red, the skin burned from the high temperatures. One of the days I couldn't afford sunscreen. Like I said, life was difficult.

I covered my burn with my shawl and at the same time, the scars that marked my body. It is inevitable in the life of labour. The rain even found its way through the clusters of leaves. My employer was right about a storm. I neglected to listen to the radio this morning. My trainer had to be worried sick. And if I didn't hurry and get out of this forest and back home, I'd be sick literally. And medicine was hard to afford.

It didn't help the forest was dark this time of day. I just had to work overtime today. Not my best choice but I know the forest quite well. But it didn't make it easier to navigate through in a storm.

I could hear thunder erupt in the sky. A forest was a bad place to be in a thunderstorm. I would be the perfect target for lightning. I could feel the rain soak through my shawl, which was on the brink of becoming a rag. Unfortunately, it was actually my most presentable one.

I tripped on a couple of tree roots, my eyes being too plagued with raindrops to see properly. I got up faster than I had fallen, the worry my trainer must feel giving me reason for my adrenaline. It usually doesn't take me very long to get of here. I couldn't help but feel a little worried myself.

Am I even going in the right direction? Getting lost would a disaster. The possibility of never returning home sickened my stomach. I couldn't recognize this area at all. Maybe I was lost.

I didn't know where to go. I could only sit down on the ground from sheer helplessness. This was utterly pathetic, even for me. I went into this forest too many times to count. I huddled against the tree trunk, silently hoping this was a dream. I wanted to be in the security of my home.

My breaths came in trembling gasps. I could feel the thunder vibrate through the tree. My body shivered involuntarily, my hands clutching at my shawl, the winds drastically picking up speed.

I heard a hiss, my posture now uptight. What if I was being followed, or worse, being stalked by a complete stranger? I'd die if it was a dangerous predator. Two glowing red eyes glared at me through the murky waters. No sooner did I blink in surprise did they vanish as quickly as they appeared, leaving me petrified.

I forced myself to stand, running as fast as I could opposite the lake. The last thing I wanted to happen was to see those same red eyes again.

Then suddenly, I could move freely no longer. It felt as though two hands bound me in place. I tried pulling away, only to find that no one was there. Two red eyes stared at me from the shadows. My body fell backwards, letting my fate swallow me whole.

***

"Is she alive? Why isn't she responding?" Why did that voice sound so familiar?

"We found her deep in the forest not too long ago. She's only unconscious. She'll be fine."

"My Purin..." Was that my trainer speaking? To who? I groaned, opening one eye with much effort. My trainer was instantly at my side, holding me tightly. "Do you know how worried I was? I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Please don't be. I'm fine now. I'm alive, aren't I?" I tried desperately to smile though I really wanted to break down and cry.

"Her heart's working fine," came the voice whom I didn't recognize. "She's okay."

"Thank you but how I can repay you for being so kind?" The stranger had to be a doctor of some sort.

The doctor shook his head. "There's no need. I know how hard life is around here. You don't have to do anything for me. I was happy to help," he replied.

I buried my face against my trainer's shoulder. I was still shocked to see his face again and my home. My trainer and the doctor both shook hands before departing. I was carried the whole way back to our house.

"It's all right. You're safe now," he whispered to me. My nod was weak. My body and mind felt completely drained and unable to function. I couldn't even think straight. "Go to sleep Purin," he quietly told me.

His words were the last thing I could recall before drifting to sleep.

***

I had a warm blanket wrapped around my aching shoulders. It felt cozy by the fireplace, drinking down a steaming glass of tea. My sister was lying down next to me, sound asleep. I loved her dearly. Jaynwa was the only living biological family I had left. Long ago, my parents had died under a serious disease.

My job was risky. I could die of the same diseases that cost my parents their lives. Labour was a hard life. The only time that changed was the previous two Smash Brothers tournaments. I didn't fare too well at the matches. My fighting skills were abysmal.

My trainer handed me an envelope, smiling brightly. I took the envelope in my hands, my jaw dropping. My trainer nodded. "Go ahead. Read it."

My hands ripped open the envelope, pulling out the letter.

_Jigglypuff,_

_You have been invited to participate in the third tournament of Smash Brothers. The grand opening is being held on March 9 and we encourage you to attend but is ultimately your decision. If you agree to participate, let us know before the opening day._

_Thank you._

_Sincerely,_

_Master and Crazy Hand_

"Would I be allowed to go?" I asked, unsure to leave my trainer and sister to fend for themselves.

He grinned, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Definitely. And don't you worry. We'll be fine. You've done so much. Go ahead and participate!" His cheerful grin was contagious. I couldn't help but smile back at his optimism. It was really what helped us get through hard times the most. Companionship.

"If you say so, but I can't help but worry about you and Jaynwa..." My sentence ended on a falter.

"Don't worry. Enjoy yourself! I'll feel much better knowing you'll be much happier." My trainer truly possessed a kind heart.

"Thank you so much. I'll try even harder to be a better fighter. I won't let you down," I promised him, putting my cup of tea to my lips, finishing the last few mouthfuls.

My trainer poured me another cup of tea as I finished gulping down my first. I never realized how much I desired to drink. "Just do the best you can. I wouldn't ask more from you. We have to let these Hands know you're attending."

I frowned. "But will I really be happier in the tournament? I know you hate it when I worry but I'll feel so guilty knowing you'll still be living in these conditions."

My trainer let out a sad sigh, finishing his own cup of tea. "You were always selfless but I'm proud to have you as my Pokemon. And your sister."

"I'll do my best...for your sake," I whispered. My sister stirred a little in her sleep but I wrapped half of my blanket around me to share body warmth. I couldn't describe how much I loved her. "I'll try not to worry. Maybe you'll see me in battle!"

He laughed a little. "I just might. You never know. I'd love to see how much my Purin will be growing."

I shrugged. "I am matured. I won't be growing much now."

"You said you will be 'a better fighter.' I wish you the best of luck. I know you'll have a good time there. But whatever you do, be safe and don't do anything dangerous. I don't want to lose you." I nodded, his sudden serious mood quite impacting inside.

I instantly agreed to the promise. "Sure, no problem."


	89. Episode Seventy

**I'm almost late finishing this! Sorry it took so long. **

**The reason why this chapter is shorter is because this is the first part of the opening of Brawl from Meta Knight's POV. The other half of the first day will continue with Jigglypuff's POV. I thought that would make the chapter more interesting. Hopefully it does. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers or its characters.**

**UPDATE! New Author's Note at the end of the chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter Eighty Nine**

**Episode Seventy**

_March the Ninth, Meta Knight's POV_

It was not only the invitation that had been dreadful.

A three hour flight on the Halberd was not even the worst part of it, even with Kirby and Dedede as passengers. Those two never seem to stop fighting with each other, making the ability to concentrate impossible.

I deciphered the coordinates of the Smash Universe, setting up a secured auto pilot. I sat back down in the armchair, in the quiet pilot room and closed my eyes. The door was locked to ensure my passengers would not intrude upon my privacy. Privacy was golden.

I turned on the radio to drown out the developing shouts of King Dedede. He was excessively difficult to tolerate. The flight is not even halfway over. Could he at least be patient?

I could hear the metal of the walls dent under the pressure of Dedede's hammer. I could only cringe at the very sound. I sighed and stood up from the comfort of my chair, unlocking the door. Giving it one gentle turn, it opened. My eyes could only widen at the destruction that was taking place.

Kirby and Dedede froze in mid fight, staring at me with an expression of undeniable guilt. "He started it," Dedede accused the young Star Warrior. I sighed out of sheer irritation.

"It matters not who started it. Should this foolish behaviour continue on, you will be prohibited from boarding upon my ship. Is that understood? Consider yourself warned."

Dedede withdrew his hammer, sending me a hateful glare. "That marshmallow still started it." He stormed off, leaving Kirby and myself alone.

My hand reached out for Kirby's, helping him stand up. "Must you always fight with Dedede?" I could not hide my wearing patience at this point. Kirby blinked at me with his innocent eyes. I never could feel angry at him, disappointed at the most. My softer side proved to be dominant at unexpected times.

"Please be careful Kirby. I advise you stay away from Dedede. He is in a rather bad mood." I gently patted his shoulder. I could not deny he felt like a son to me though we are in no way related to each other.

Listening to my words, Kirby smiled in reply, heading in the opposite direction from Dedede. I hoped the rest of the flight would be peaceful, unlike the chaos that already left its mark on my ship.

***

With the assistance of the autopilot, we arrived in the Smash Universe early with time to spare. Even knowing the doors would not be open for another hour, impatient Dedede bolted out the door without listening to me. The radio had prevented a long eerie silence during the flight, though I disliked the repeated and overplayed songs. My hand rested on the volume dial, turning it down to the volume of a whisper. Music was rather unsettling for me.

I rolled my eyes as Dedede hammered away at the door which was tightly locked. I had warned the King of Dreamland. The weather was not exactly the most pleasant either. Yet I could feel no pity for the King who ignored my warnings as if they meant nothing.

My eyes fixed on the letter I had received a week ago from the Master and Crazy Hands. That day I was resting in a recliner, taking a break from the exerting work that was forced upon me by Dedede. I was no stranger to the tournaments, seeing how Kirby was chosen for the first two. It was a shock for me to be invited. But for Dedede to accompany the two of us was the downside of the tournament. He was most displeased that I was a servant of his no longer until we return in Dreamland the following summer next year.

I stood from my chair as another vehicle parked in the empty lot. I was reminded I would be living and fighting with strangers for the next year and a half. The stranger stood outside his vehicle which I assumed was used for some sort of racing. I was not too sure.

The stranger caught glimpse of Dedede attempting to break through the door with continuous swings from his sturdy mallet and shook his head as though appalled. I had to share his same feelings. Dedede was doing a poor job of making a good first impression as a newcomer.

Growing tired of his impatient attitude, I wrapped my cape around myself for warmth and headed outside. It was plain to see from hearing the stranger and Dedede speaking that it was an argument. Apparently, the stranger could tolerate Dedede's behaviour no more than I could at the moment.

I cleared my throat, Dedede freezing in place in response. "Is there any reason why you plan to break down the door? It would not open no matter how much you try. It would not hurt you to be patient King Dedede."

"The guy's name is King Dedede? He's a King? You have to be kidding." The stranger laughed, provoking Dedede to his limit. He raised his hammer only a second before I withdrew Galaxia and knocked the hammer from his grasp.

Dedede glared at me but without saying a word. He knew the battle was lost. He followed me back to the Halberd but at a slow pace. I patiently stayed beside him. Patience was silver.

"Who was he?" I asked Dedede, in a calm tone. He tightened his grip on his hammer.

"I reckon he told me the name was Captain Falcon. I don't know." The conversation ended there. The rest of the wait was the same dreadful silence with the exception of the radio which I admit got on my nerves after the first few minutes. I was more than happy to turn the radio off when other vehicles started arriving at the parking lot.

Dedede was the first one to go through the doors when they finally opened. Complaints could be heard from the others who already took a dislike to Dedede. I trailed behind, waiting patiently while allowing the others to go ahead of me. Perhaps this new life would be more tolerable than I first assumed. Many of the others seemed friendly enough to talk with.

But I was a loner by nature. I sat by myself in one of the isolated chairs, hoping no one will notice me. The main room was quite a cozy place, I admit. The velvet armchairs and oak end tables complimented the very design of the carpet and wallpaper. A fireplace stood between the chairs and tables. I already felt at home, despite the tension of being surrounded by strangers. I did not receive the stares I thought I would. Relieved, my shoulders relaxed, my back leaning back into the chair. Waiting for the Master Hand would not be as dreadful as the past hour. I know for certain everyone is here and all that was left to be done was to wait for the Master Hand's announcement.

Soon enough, I would adjust to this lifestyle. Those were my hopes. Simply daydreaming and creating fantasies. But it was better to start with a positive outlook which I did not possess most of the time. The chatter filling the room, I did not mind. Anything sounded better than the radio.

Then quite suddenly, my breathing became subdued. I gasped for breath, thankfully finding it again without anyone noticing my brief panic. What was that extravagant scent? I glanced around the room, searching for the cause. I soon found the cause sitting beside me.

A stranger with two, beautiful blue eyes staring at me with an intense curiosity.

...Who was this...girl?

* * *

**In this Season, Jigglypuff has blue eyes. A couple of readers were wondering about that so I wanted to clarify that I intended for Jigglypuff to have blue eyes. Sorry if that was confusing!**


	90. Episode Seventy One

_**I've made a decision. Normally, my usual update is 2000 words. I've decided it will make the story harder to finish so I will not do that anymore. I'll write whatever length I think will fit the idea.**_

_**We're back to Jigglypuff's POV:D I hope you enjoy it!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to SSBB.**_

* * *

**Chapter Ninety**

**Episode Seventy One**

_Getting Acquainted; Jigglypuff's POV_

I would not have chosen to sit here if the others seats hadn't already been taken. And the remaining seat had to be beside a completely stranger. I shivered as his glowing pupiless eyes stared into my own. I broke away from his stare, fiddling with the fabric of my shawl. Couldn't the Master Hand arrive any faster? The sooner I'm alone, the better.

I _would_ have had a good seat earlier but some fat penguin had to push me out of his way. I had to spend a few minutes gathering my possessions all over again. I shuddered at the memory. Whoever that penguin was, he had to be a newcomer. I hated the very thought of it.

And here I am, sitting next to a complete stranger who seemed interested in me. Our stare didn't last long, at most, a couple of seconds. Who exactly was this new Smasher? Where had he come from? That itself was mind boggling. I wasn't sure I wanted to know. He could be from anywhere. I made sure to avoid looking at him, though I'm certain he was staring at me the entire time.

I let out a quiet, but shaky breath of relief when the Master Hand arrived through the door. The presence of the white hand never made me happier. I didn't feel like the main attraction to the dark puffball anymore. Yet I felt lightheaded. I leaned back in the seat, hoping it would soon pass.

Great. Just great. The puffball was starting at me again. Exactly what I needed. I soon my vision spinning in wild circles. My body lay on the floor, my breathing coming in gasps. Why was I having so much trouble to breath? I couldn't be dying; that was too extreme, considering I was fine earlier. _Before_ I sat next to the stranger. But he couldn't have anything to do with my wavering condition. There was always that possibility. Sure, he was somewhat creepy, but it was impossible he was affecting me this way.

I was losing my mind...and sanity. But life itself? No. I could see several blurred faces of the crowd turn towards me as my consciousness faded into nothing.

***

_I felt as though I were a ghost. But perhaps a ghost lingering back in the depths of the past. Was I lost? Was I dead? What had happened to me? I could only feel myself drift in a void of darkness, suspended in the air with no ground of some sort beneath me._

_Shadows obscured the light, making my surroundings completely undistinguishable. My skin felt frozen as if my blood had become ice and tormented my body from within. I couldn't move but only stare what was ahead of me._

_Monsters surrounded me but no one noticed me all alone. They had their backs turned to me and soon enough, I found out why. A small round creature was resting on the cold floor; the object of their stares. But why would all these...monsters be interested in that? It was only a round ball._

_A clawed hand extended out towards it and tore through a thin layer of its skin. I could hear the sickening scream that followed with a rush of fear. I tried to take a step forward but I was forced to watch the creature's suffering and do nothing about it._

"_Stop! What are you doing to it! Stop it!"_

_My scream was drowned out by several more cries of pain. If I was indeed dead, why could I still smell the scent of blood? And why did I want it so much? I don't even have a body!_

_The creature's eyes shifted over to me, as if it heard my shriek. It's bright eyes gazed at me with sorrow before the monster brought down a whip of fire on its back. The scream was absolutely horrifying. I was witnessing murder. Murder! What was going on?_

"_I mean it! Stop it! How can you be so heartless?"_

_Unlike the creature writhing on the ground in pain, the demonic creature could not hear my voice. I growled as the monster's mouth lifted into a smile. There was nothing to smile about! Then it turned to me and noticed I was even there watching. I glared at him, staring him down._

"_Who are you?" I asked, my words coming out weak, knowing this guy could kill me if he wanted to. But I thought I was dead. Maybe it's possible for ghosts to be tormented as equally as the living. "Whatever you are, leave me alone."_

"_If you know what is good for you, you will leave the failure be. He was destined for death. Now if you please, I have unfinished business to deal with. I have no time to waste."_

"_What do you mean by failure! Who can you say something so horrible? Who exactly are you?"_

"_Our species are not for you to mingle with. Turn back or be trapped in an eternity of hell. This is your last choice."_

"_I'll...go."_

"_A wise decision. You would have been in regret otherwise."_

***

I groaned, opening my eyes fully expecting to be in the same darkness as before. But instead, I was resting on a comfortable bed with my belongings set on my dresser. I don't remember being here before. Wasn't I at the meeting? Had I missed the whole thing? I glanced at the clock. Five in the afternoon. I missed the whole thing; the newcomers, the rules, the tours. Completely in panic, I sat up but fell over on the ground in a daze. I hated headrush.

I got back on my feet, holding onto the bed for support. I had to be in for it now. What an impression to make on everyone. Especially the creepy puffball who was probably laughing at me somewhere else in the mansion.

"Good to see you are awake," came a voice from the now opened door. I nearly fell over again in shock but to my relief, it was the Master Hand. I opened my mouth to apologize but he spoke first. "You seem to feel better. Earlier, you suddenly had fainted. All of us were worried."

I had fainted the whole time? I sighed with relief, now certain I had been dreaming earlier.

"I didn't mean to worry anyone," I began, but I was stopped before I could continue.

"You don't have to apologize. I will explain anything you might have missed at the meeting earlier after dinner tonight. Be sure to come to my office then," the Master Hand explained to her. "Before I go, I should introduce you to your roommate."

Roommate? I completely forgot? I must have got amnesia from this dream.

"She's feeling better now. You can come in," the Master Hand said to the Smasher outside the door. "Her name's Jigglypuff, a veteran Smasher."

If I could feel anymore shocked, I've been pushed past my limit. _The same puffball from earlier._ Impossible. Completely an illusion. A dream! It had to be! This guy couldn't be my roommate! _Wonderful._

"I was beside her when she passed out. I am relieved she is feeling better."

I was hit harder with shock. Such an amazing voice...Wait a minute! What am I thinking? I liked the same voice that belonged to the...creepy puffball? I wanted to get out of the room before I was in a complete panic. The anxiety was nearly too much!

"I'll leave you two alone then. I will see you after dinner Jigglypuff." With that, the Master Hand closed the door, leaving the room in complete silence. The situation just got even worse. The Master Hand was insane!

"I am pleased to meet you Jigglypuff," came the puffball's voice. The voice...ugh, not again!

I forced a smile, hoping he would not notice my discomfort. "Me too. What is your name?" It was so hard to be calm when my nerves were on edge.

"Meta Knight," he replied.

"Oh, all right. Thank you," I forced out, nodding in acknowledgement. I took the suitcase from the top of the dresser and sorted through the several items which had been recklessly shoved back in after my incident earlier. It seemed like a reasonable excuse not to speak with my new roommate. In truth, I didn't want to.

Whoever this Meta Knight was, he seemed suspicious.


	91. Episode Seventy Two

**Finally! New chapter done! With an evil cliffhanger:D I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

* * *

**Chapter Ninety One**

**Episode Seventy Two**

_Late at Night; Jigglypuff's POV_

A month later and still my opinion never changed.

Until now, I never had any roommate issues. My roommates in the past were _normal_. And normal is a term hardly used around here. Nothing about Mario or Zelda had rubbed me the wrong way in the last tournaments. But with this newcomer, Meta Knight, it was a completely different story. And I didn't like how it was unfolding at all. We exchanged little or no dialogue in the last week. And I'm usually a talkative and outgoing Smasher in the tournament. My trainer's words flashed into my mind again.

"_But whatever you do, be safe and don't do anything dangerous."_

A week into the tournament and I didn't feel safe at all. I could only glimpse at Meta Knight when I was sure his back was turned. It was even more terrifying standing in his presence after seeing him battle for the first time. He could defeat me easily if he wanted to and with his eyes closed, I'm willing to believe.

I'm lucky he's rarely in the bedroom. The less time I have to see the creepy knight, the better. I personally don't like him much myself. No one else experienced the same problems as I have been. He doesn't _stare_ at them. He avoids them. But he'll find time to stare at me. Meta Knight could be a stalker for all I know. Thankfully, staring is the farthest it has gone.

I put on a warmer shawl, certain my roommate was nowhere nearby, deciding I needed some time outside the Smash Mansion. After all, it was Saturday and that meant no brawls. Time alone would be great. I opened my dresser, pulling out my wallet and putting it in my shawl pocket. I already had my supper so I was all set to go. Opening the door, I found the staircase and descended downstairs. There was no trace of my roommate in sight. I smiled, certain the night would go as planned.

Usually I went with a couple of friends but for some reason, I wanted to go by myself. My intention tonight was to relax and being alone was the only way that would be possible.

I hummed a gentle tune as I strolled down the empty sidewalk. I knew from experience Nintendoville was not far away from the Smash Mansion. In a few minutes and I'd be at my destination; the movie theatre. It had been ages since I last saw a movie. Were there any movie theatres at all back at home? I wouldn't have dreamt going to see a movie by myself when I had to work overtime to support my sister and trainer.

There was very little sunlight left. But I didn't let the darkness faze me and continued to walk forward. I felt comfortable by myself for some strange reason. I recognized the bright lights of Nintendoville, quickly remembering why I loved to visit so much. I never could have this freedom, this time to myself. Reunited with my freedom, I skipped happily down the sidewalk, the breeze quite refreshing. It was the dreaded heat I hated so much. The breeze felt so _good._ I couldn't get enough of that feeling. I glanced at my sparkly watch I had bought a week ago. I was a few minutes early for the movie. Satisfied, I walked in the movie theatre and bought my refreshments early.

The cashiers could easily call me by my own name. I came here every couple of weeks. I carried my medium sized Coke and popcorn and made my way into the theatre, hoping to find a good seat before they were taken. My left hand rested on the arm of the chair only to find it warm, like mine was on the soft skin of another. Quickly, I turned to see who was sitting beside me.

No one.

A freezing chill travelled through my spine. I couldn't help but shiver at the thought I was being followed. Ugh, the horror...It was impossible to shake away the thought that being alone wasn't the best idea. I should have gone with a friend. At least I would have felt safer...wait, safe...What had I been thinking?

The lights dimmed down. Breathing in and out slowly, I leaned back in the chair, trying to enjoy the movie. It was supposedly very popular and made a couple million the first day.

But I didn't like it. I came here trying to relax, only to find myself trapped in a movie theatre, watching a murder mystery and possibly being stalked...at the same time. A chuckle tickled my ear. I shuddered, moving over to the next seat. Who was the creep? Or was I dreaming? Too good to be true.

But I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up from my seat and bolted out of the theatre, back into the main room. I let out a breath of relief, grateful to be out of that cold, creepy room. Needless to say, I lost my appetite.

"Scary movie?" the cashier asked me when she had passed by. I gave a weak smile.

"Yeah...you could say that," I replied, knowing that was part of the truth. If I hadn't felt like I was being stalked, I would have held out for the rest of the movie. But I didn't tell the cashier that. I didn't want her to freak out for no reason. My throat felt unbelievably dry. I inserted a couple coins in the drink machine and took out a 7-Up. I felt much better after I finished the drink. I put the empty can in the recycling bin and headed out the door.

Oh, how I hated the darkness. Alone in the dark wondering back to the Smash Mansion...why did that sound so...dangerous?

_I am being followed, that's why._ I remembered the frightening tales of people who wondered by themselves at night. There were so many horrible people they had run into...and...Oh man, I had to get out of here! I ran quickly around the corner, knowing it was a shortcut back to the Smash Mansion.

Couldn't I have brought a flashlight with me? I barely could see anything. Nintendoville's lights were no longer in view, leaving me with no light source altogether. It wasn't long before my feet began to get sore from the hard cement ground. One had got caught under a slab of broken cement and I fell face first on the cement.

I forced myself back up, ignoring the stinging the cuts marking my cheeks. I needed to get out of here first before I could even worry about that. I limped on my right foot, which had been bent out of place. Had I broke my foot at the same time? I grabbed a broken half of a dislodged pipe, using it as a makeshift crutch. I had no other means of a substitute. A dark hand pulled the 'crutch' from under my arm, my body hitting the ground again, tearing my shawl in a couple of places.

"Thought you could get away? Not on my watch," the voice spoke. I shrunk back against the stone wall.

"No! Stay back! Or I'll..."

"How threatening," the voice replied to my empty and hollow words. "Pathetic. Even for a Jigglypuff such as yourself."

I glared at him, trying to use my hands to inch my body further away from his hovering and translucent one. His cool and demonic hand caressed mine. I hated the very texture of it. In response, I jerked my hand away. His hand reached out for mine again. But I would have nothing to do with him. I hopped on my good foot and only had only gone a few steps before I felt the same hand smack down hard on my back. I hit the wall headfirst and collapsed back on the dirty stone ground.

"Give up? I'm afraid you won't be going far now." He spoke the exact truth; my exact fear. Now I knew for certain I was being followed but by complete stranger. He could sense my fear quite easily. My head throbbed from the painful collision with the wall. I couldn't even think straight anymore.

"I...I..." My cheek rested against the ground in defeat. There was no way I had a chance of escaping now. "Do what you want to me. I...I can't..." His mouth twisted into a grin.

"If you do insist..." As his hand reached to lift me up from the ground, a familiar golden sword struck it first. The hand released my body, which lay on the ground like a useless heap. I gazed into the eyes of my saviour. "You...You're..."


	92. Episode Seventy Three

**Another chapter up! More tension too! This came out quite differently than what I expected though. Have fun reading! ^-^**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

* * *

**Chapter Ninety Two**

**Episode Seventy Three**

_The Assistant; Jigglypuff's POV_

Of anyone who could have intervened at that time, I never expected it to be him. In truth, I didn't expect anybody. But him, his presence was quite unexpected.

"You're...It can't be..." I whispered. His gaze shifted to me, his posture unbelievably uptight.

"Do not move," he replied, his tone serious. "I will take care of this stranger." I opened my mouth to speak but he was already gone as quickly as he had appeared. I couldn't make out what he was saying but it sounded like a hiss. My heart pounded heavily at the sound of it...so ominous...

I glanced down at my foot which I suspected had been broken. It was broken after all. I gasped when I tried to move it, the response being unbelievable pain. I dreaded having to see a hospital after this. Knowing how overprotective the Master Hand can be, he most likely will not allow me to go out by myself again. Just when I thought I was reunited with my independence...

Horrified screams echoed throughout the alley, being instantly hushed after an intimidating growl. I wanted to scream myself. I retrieved my makeshift crutch and used the brick wall to help myself stand up again. With small steps, I escaped from the alley, finding my way back on the vacant road leading me back to the Smash Mansion. I wanted to drop back down in despair. Why did the city have to be so far? I'd never make it! And help was too far away! But I had to try.

I only had gone a few steps or so before a couple arms wrapped around me, my body lifting into the sky. My mouth opened to scream but a soft gloved hand covered it quickly before I made a sound. I felt myself losing consciousness; I was too shocked from the events of earlier to stay awake. Two glowing eyes were all I recall seeing before everything went black.

***

"_Purin..." A voice whispered to me. I smiled weakly, awakening from my sleep, pleased to see my trainer at my side. I was home. My home I cherished so much._

"_Hi," I replied, rubbing my eyes. "How long was I asleep?" _

"_A few hours," came my trainer's reply. "But you needed the sleep. You've been down lately. Everyone's been worried. Jaynwa was always asking if you were awake yet."_

_I laughed softly. "That's my sister. The one I love so much." I sat up carefully as my trainer poured me a cup of tea. I accepted the drink, as he went to the stove to serve us both supper. Food was exactly what I needed. Maybe I would feel better if I ate. I hadn't eaten anything decent in four days._

"_You're strong, my Purin. You're the best Pokemon I ever could have had." He turned to the bedroom. "Go tell your sister you're feeling better. She's worried." _

"_That's the Jaynwa I know. All right, I'll tell her." I stood up, pushing the curtain aside that acted as a makeshift door. We didn't have much here but we made the best with what we had. When I stepped into the room, darkness completely surrounded me. I blinked, quite confused. It was only early afternoon. Why would it be so dark in here? I turned around trying to find the curtain but it was no longer in its respective place._

"_Jaynwa, where are you?" I called out. "Are you here?" Silence met my words. I shivered, venturing my way further, hoping to stumble across something familiar. "Jaynwa, it's me, Purin, your sister. Can you hear me?"_

_Two golden eyes suddenly met mine..._

"Jigglypuff," I heard a voice call out to me. "Jigglypuff!"

I groaned, finally stirring from my sleep. I must have been dreaming. I wasn't home anymore. But where was I? I tried to sit up but my broken foot reminded me I was in too pain to move. Those same golden eyes gazed back at me, completely emotionless. A little uneasy, I tried to move away but his strong arms kept me in place.

"I told you not to move," he spoke, his tone without emotion. "You could have been hurt again wondering off. You are in no condition to wonder off on your own."

Then I recognized him completely. "Okay, I get it...but are you Meta Knight?"

He nodded. "That is correct. But that is not exactly important now, is it? What were you thinking, going to the city all by yourself at night? The city is completely dangerous at this time. Had I not been passing by, the result would have been worse than a broken foot; most likely your death."

My eyes burned with tears. "I'm sorry! Okay? I didn't mean to worry everyone! I just wanted some time to myself. I never wanted any of this to happen."

"The enemy does not care if you wanted it to happen or not. What he was after was your life. He would not have cared in the slightest if you died," Meta Knight replied, lifting me into his arms. I didn't find it welcoming but lay limp there hoping to be alone soon. "The Master Hand wants a word with you. He was really concerned about you."

Plan ruined. I wasn't going to be alone anytime soon. I suppressed an angry growl, upset everything had to crumble. I was supposed to be in my room, pleased with my time at Nintendoville. Some creep had to ruin it all. Thankfully, Meta Knight didn't speak to me any further on the way back to the Smash Mansion.

The Master Hand looked like he had a heart attack. My own heart sank, knowing at once, my right to independence would be shot. I wished the hand wouldn't be so paranoid. It drove me crazy, even though I knew he meant well. "Jigglypuff," he began, as if unsure what to say to me. That couldn't be good news. "I had been informed that you were being stalked in Nintendoville."

"Uh...yes," I admitted. "But Meta Knight saved me before it was too late." I shuddered at how cheesy that sounded.

"It was very irresponsible of you to go to Nintendoville alone," the Master Hand continued on, each word, a needle to my heart. I didn't my near demise rubbed in time and time again. It felt like salt being sprayed onto the wound as he continued to speak. "You could have gone with a couple of friends. You were lucky to have Meta Knight there at the time. We could have lost a Smasher if he wasn't there."

"Please stop..." I pleaded. "I said I was sorry. Leave me alone."

"Not in Nintendoville," the Master Hand retaliated. "Never again should you go there without someone else. I care too much about the well being of all the Smashers to let any of them get hurt. Hopefully, this will never happen again...Meta Knight, take her to bed. She needs to rest. I'll have a doctor fix up her foot in the morning."

"She will listen to me," he whispered to the Master Hand. He sounded so serious. "She will be all right. I promise."

"Then you both are dismissed."

"How could you?" I snapped at Meta Knight when we reached the bedroom. "Why did you tell the Master Hand what happened? He didn't need to know! I just wanted to be alone!"

Meta Knight did not seem fazed at my outburst. "He cares a lot about you. What else was I supposed to do? Allow the past to repeat once again by swearing to secrecy?"

"That was my independence!" I nearly shrieked at him. He hushed me forcefully, his hand covering my mouth.

"Jigglypuff, there are others trying to sleep. Stop making a scene," he warned me. I sank back down on the bed, on the verge of tears. "The Master Hand said you should rest. Listen to him. Listen to _me."_

"You're mean...I hate you," I spat at him, laying down in defeat. He turned away, facing the moonlight, eyes a deep shade of emerald green.

"I am mean," he began. "Because I care about you. Now heed my word and rest..."


	93. Episode Seventy Four

**Almost late writing this because I am sick! I don't think it's my best work but it's the best I can do right now. I hope you all like it:D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

**Chapter Ninety Three**

**Episode Seventy Four**

_Unexpected Words; Jigglypuff's POV_

If there was one thing I could appreciate about my roommate, it was the fact I had to room to myself most of the time. I was still unhappy about the Master Hand's decision to have Meta Knight supposedly protect me. Losing my independence to go somewhere by myself was the worst punishment I could ever have.

Of course, the Master Hand wouldn't know of my situation back at home. I kept it a secret throughout the whole tournaments. I have my trainer to thank for that. He, unfortunately, bought me a brand new shawl before I left my planet. It took money out of our budget but at least the Master Hand would never suspect my laboured life at home. I didn't want to imagine what could result if the truth ever made its way to the wrong person.

Even though the Master Hand assigned Meta Knight to keep watch over me, I haven't seen him for quite a while. It's been a couple days since the incident out of Nintendoville. Not once since then did I see Meta Knight.

I didn't regret calling him mean. He was the reason I lost my independence in the first place. But I also hated to admit that he also was the reason for my survival. Meta Knight is surrounded by questions, several of them, unanswered. And I know I desire answers to them all. What is he exactly?

I frowned, putting on a new shawl that I bought in Nintendoville. Before Meta Knight ruined everything. Deciding not to let that worry me any longer, I inched into the wheelchair I had been given, deciding to get something to eat. When I went to see the doctor, he reluctantly told me I wouldn't be able to walk on my feet for at least a couple of weeks. I was in despair.

It took me a couple of consistent tugs before I could open the door. It was so much harder opening the door in a wheelchair. I cursed at myself inwardly for being clumsy that night. Even if I couldn't go out on my own, I would have grateful being able to walk freely.

I hated being restricted. Restrictions were a torture. Especially since I had opportunities to go places alone. I moved the wheelchair out of the door with frustration and at long last, closed it behind me. No sooner did I head for the elevator, a blur sped past me, nearly knocking me over.

"Hey, watch it!" I growled. Sighing from aggravation, I slid in the elevator without another delay. It felt like forever before it reached the bottom floor. When all the pairs of eyes met my own, my appetite was completely gone. I continued down the hallway and forced my way out the front doors. I needed time outside, whether the Master Hand liked it or not.

The fresh air was what I needed more than anything. I forced the wheels to push me forward towards the flowery fields. It was always my favourite place to go. I carefully let myself out of the wheelchair and sat down on the ground. Eyes closed, I felt free. Free of my restrictions. Free of all my stress. I couldn't have a free moment at home to do this.

I frowned. Deep down inside, I felt a pain in my stomach. Like something bad was going to happen soon. Maybe I was too stressed out. I shivered when I glanced upwards at the now-overcast clouds. They were no longer a pure white but a darkening grey. Eyes wide, I tried to get back into my wheelchair without panicking. Carefully strapped in, I proceeded forward to the Smash Mansion.

They were not just rainclouds but thunderclouds. I reached for the doorknob but a gloved hand got there first.

"Get inside," Meta Knight ordered in a strict command. Shrinking down in my seat, I nodded meekly and slid in the doors without a verbal response. From the corner of my eye, I saw him sigh in disapproval. My mood was dampened at his presence.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked, knowing well what his response would be.

"I should be. What you did was irresponsible. You should have stayed inside." I sighed, growing quite tired at how overprotective he was. If I dare call his actions as such. He lead me upstairs, to the elevator. I gasped in fear when it was heading up to the Master Hand's office. He was going to turn me in, the creep!

"Why are we going to the Master Hand?" I asked, bitterly.

"He has a message for you. He requested you to be there as soon as possible," Meta Knight replied. I could have sworn he sounded..._worried._ I slowly nodded.

"All right, sounds good," I said, questioning my choice of words. After what seemed like an hour, the elevator stopped. He stood behind me, pushing the wheelchair in a polite manner. I looked up at him in shock. "Meta Knight..."

"We are almost there," he spoke back, no longer sounding so strict. He opened the door and gently lead me inside. "This conversation is none of my business. I will wait outside."

I smiled, glad he respected my privacy. "Thank you. I'm sure it won't take long." I pushed myself forward until I reached the office desk. The Master Hand appeared instantly, looking extremely serious, holding a piece of paper in his glove. He set it out on the table.

"It is a message from home," he said to me before I could ask. I nodded, opening the letter. My face immediately lost its colour.

_My dear Purin,_

_Your sister has fallen ill yesterday. We have no idea what made her so sick but she's showing no signs of recovering. For fear the worst may soon come to be, I'm sending you this. You should know what's been going on with your sister. She's been thinking of you the whole time you've been gone. She's a kind girl, Jaynwa. I hope she recovers but the outcome is very unlikely._

_I know you will constantly blame yourself for not being here but that is nowhere near the cause of her illness. You may have gotten the same disease if you hadn't left this planet. It's supposedly an influenza but I'm so worried Jaynwa's not strong enough to get better. She has trouble even to breathe. I'm so upset I haven't been able to contact a doctor. There has been a terrible sandstorm over here and the power lines have been broken. It hasn't been nice to live here, let's put it that way._

_But Jaynwa speaks of you in her sleep. Her hours might be numbered but I know whatever will happen, her love will continue to live within ourselves._

_I hope you are enjoying yourself in the tournament. Again, stay safe, my dear Purin._

My bottom lip trembled. My own sister so close to the clutches of death. The Master Hand looked up from his computer.

"Are you all right?"

"I...need something to drink," I breathed out, folding the letter in shaking hands. The Master Hand went to the storage cabinet and pulled out a juice box. I accepted it with a sincere thank you.

"I can understand how upset you must be. Your sister sounds like a sweet person."

I almost choked on my juice. "You knew?"

"Yes, I am informed of Jaynwa's situation. All of us will wish her the best and hope she recovers," the Master Hand said. I shook my head.

"No! Don't tell anyone. That's private..." I protested.

"It's private a sister you love so much could be dying?"

At his words, I collapsed to the ground. Jaynwa dying? It couldn't be possible. I didn't want to believe it.

I couldn't accept the fact I could lose my own sister...


	94. Episode Seventy Five

**Next chapter up! I hope you enjoy this one. It was fun writing!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

**Chapter Ninety Four**

**Episode Seventy Five**

_Cold Exterior, Warm Interior; Jigglypuff's POV_

My hand wanted to tear at the paper in my hands. But it was the only evident proof I had that my sister has indeed 'passed on,' as my trainer politely put it in his letter. My sister was so kind, so strong. How could have her life ended so early? It seemed too sudden, too impossible for my sister, the one I loved so much, to die and be taken away from this world.

I was finally out of my wheelchair but having received the news on the same day took the joy away from walking on my feet again. I felt as though I were falling in an never ending abyss of despair. I forced my way out of the room before anyone could see my tears and ask what was the matter. I wanted solitude. I didn't want the consolation of another or any words of apology. I wanted nothing from anyone.

On normal circumstances, I would have cried or broken down but now, I feel like an empty shell, completely numb to the grief that would have tore me to pieces.

I wasn't surprised the Master Hand wanted to tell the others. But I told him, I pleaded that he wouldn't.

"I kept my word and kept Jaynwa's illness a secret. But now it's time the truth came out," he told me. That was his final decision. The emotion I felt was anger. I hated the Master Hand.

I wanted so badly to go back home and attend my sister's funeral but the airlines have been having difficulties. And the storm in my home planet hasn't subsided yet. I can't even say goodbye to her. My hands shook at the poor timing of everything to collapse. I couldn't even have closure with my only flesh and blood. It was too much to live with. I waited for the tears to come but they didn't.

Facing the others would be too difficult, too much for me to handle. The thought of sympathy made me sick. I didn't want the attention. I just had to leave for a while. The same storm my trainer is experiencing back home seemed to make its way here too. The rain poured violently against the window, the distance impossible to see through the large raindrops and pitch black sky.

Then it hit me. It was Meta Knight that would be hardest to face of the Smashers. For some reason, I felt the need to be strong around him. To have the same strength he has. I had to admire how composed he was, how he had the ability to stay calm when a normal person would be panicking. He never showed any emotion other than being his normal completely serious self. At least, that's all I could tell for certain. No one knows how he feels most of the time. He's been referred to as heartless before. I wasn't that fond of him but I would never say something like that about him.

Either way, I just couldn't be near him. I hoped that he wouldn't show up in the room tonight. Sometimes Meta Knight doesn't come in here at all. If he was supposed to watch over me, why wasn't he here? I don't complain though. The room is much more settled and calm without his unnerving presence to disrupt the balance.

I could see a silver locket glow in the moonlight on my bag of belongings. Curious, I picked it up gazing in wonder at the beauty of it. I opened it, suddenly wishing I hadn't. It was the last present Jaynwa sent me before she became ill.

_I love you sis. I hope you are enjoying the tournament._

_With love, Jaynwa_

"I love you Jaynwa," I whispered, holding the locket closest to my heart. "I'm sorry I never got to say goodbye to you. Even at your funeral. Some sister I am. I couldn't even be there to help you. I don't deserve a better fate." I put on the locket, hoping Jaynwa could hear my words. But I have no choice but to follow her. We were so powerfully connected to each other. We cared about each other very much. Our bond was strong.

I jumped from my windowsill and landed on the wet ground below, unable to see where I was but it didn't matter to me. I was already lost but within myself. My breath soon became caught in my throat when I saw two red eyes peering at me from the shadows. I had a feeling I saw those eyes somewhere before. I gasped. The forest on my home planet, when I was lost. The same eyes were haunting me here too. Only this time, there was no escape. No one was here to save me. Following my sister seemed like the only way to go.

The rain soaked my skin, leaving my body shivering from the cold. Even though it was Spring, the air was still chilly and freezing. I wasn't sure how much longer I would last in these conditions. I collapsed on the ground, drained of all hope. I couldn't see anything. I had no idea which direction I came from. Turning back would be useless.

"Jaynwa, you were the best sister I could have had. Thank you...we'll be meeting again soon," I whispered, letting my eyes close.

I was sure I had died. It seemed like hours later when my eyes opened and I was still living. The rain had stopped but in its place was a thick fog. I stood up, completely disoriented, not knowing where I was. I felt like crying right then and there. Was there any hope for me? To be saved or be reunited with my sister?

They appeared again...two glowing eyes but not that blood red I had seen previously but a soft golden hue. I could feel my heart beat so fast, it felt like a rapid thunder. Could it be who I thought it was? Rather than dreading his presence, I walked towards the eyes of my saviour and collapsed into his warm arms...

"_Sis!"_

"_Jaynwa...is that you?"_

"_Sis, are you okay?"_

_I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. But what about you. You don't look well."_

"_Oh," Jaynwa said in response followed up by a straining cough. "It's just a cold. It will pass. Sis, I'll be better in no time. I'm glad you are here. You're the best sister ever!"_

"_I could say the same about you. I care about you very much," I told her, hoping my hopeful words would comfort her._

"_I wish I could stay with you but...I won't be getting better. I'm not strong enough," Jaynwa said, tone soundly taking a tone of defeat. I instantly disagreed with her._

"_Don't be like that! You'll get better without a doubt!" I told her, hoping she would listen to me._

"_I wish I could live on for you...but I can't. Just be the best you can be. I'll be watching over you, sis. Live on for me."_

_I could only stare in horror at the body of my sister that became cold with death._

"Jigglypuff!"

I gasped, the tears running down my cheeks. I wanted to speak a verbal response but the only one I could give were tears. They wouldn't stop coming. I couldn't calm down. A hand settled on my shoulder. To be precise, a gloved one. "Oh, M-Meta Knight...I..."

"I was worried about you," he said, his tone barely audible. But I could make out the words. "After hearing the passing of your sister and not knowing where you went, it was hard on me. I thought I would never see you again. In this storm, it was unlikely we would meet. But I was willing to do what it took to find you."

"I remember...the storm...but where am I?" I asked.

"The bedroom," Meta Knight replied. He soon removed his hand from my shoulder but I quickly took hold of it. He flinched and I let go instantly, not used to seeing the composed knight react like that.

"I'm sorry..." I apologized, hoping I hadn't made him angry.

"No, do not be. You only took me by surprise," he assured me, his tone somewhat soft.

The tears began to flow again. The death of my sister couldn't stop plaguing my mind and it was no help I had a nightmare of it just a few minutes ago. At least in my dream, I was there. In reality, I was having fun with my friends when Jaynwa took her last breath. As if knowing what was bothering me, Meta Knight's hand returned to my shoulder. I was surprised by his actions. I never would have expected someone like him to show compassion for someone else.

And I called him mean. Now I could feel guilt settle in my conscious. He was being caring. Not mean. What was I thinking? Why was I so mean? I hugged him tightly, too lost in my grief to realize what I was doing. He didn't pull away but after a moment, he held me close.

There wasn't anything to say. The hug spoke more than words ever could. He wasn't the creepy roommate I assumed him to be. But I could only wonder how much the mysterious knight cared for me.


	95. Episode Seventy Six

**I was almost late updating this chapter. I hope you like it. Special thanks to Seeker Heart for helping me with the chapter and giving me some really good ideas!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

**Chapter Ninety Five**

**Episode Seventy Six**

_Accident; Jigglypuff's POV_

Somehow during the events following my sister's death, I found the strength within me to carry on, knowing Jaynwa would have wanted me to live my life to the fullest. It wasn't that easy, knowing I wouldn't see her smiling and hopeful face ever again. Even the smallest of experiences would remind me of my loss.

As promised, Meta Knight kept the events of last night a secret. When I had been rescued from the raging storm outside last night, I was certain he would have told the Master Hand again. It surprised me when he promised to keep it just between the two of us. I was no longer afraid around him but quite the opposite. I felt much more comfortable in his presence despite the mysteries shrouding him like a blanket of darkness. It didn't seem to matter. We were both close friends, at least, that is how it felt to me. I don't know how much he cares about me but enough that he worries for my well being.

There was nothing left to do. Supper was already over a couple of hours ago, leaving me with nothing to pass the time. I would have gone out to Nintendoville but I was no longer allowed to go anywhere on my own outside the Smash Mansion grounds.

"I'm fine! I can take care of myself!" I had protested to the Master Hand earlier before breakfast. He still refused to listen to me and kept firm about his decision.

"I already told you about my decision Jigglypuff and I have no intentions of changing my mind. You could be hurt again. I'm not willing to take that risk. Not after you were nearly killed. Should you try to disobey me, I have my ways of finding out your whereabouts. I'm trusting you will act responsibly."

"It was an accident. It could have happened to anyone!" I retaliated. "I just happened to be there at the wrong time. Can't I go anywhere on my own?"

"I'm afraid not Jigglypuff. Now if you please, I have work to do. You should have breakfast."

"_I'm getting tired of that paranoid hand," _I kept repeating in my mind, glaring at the memory of speaking with the Master Hand earlier. If Meta Knight hadn't told him what happened...but then again, he only did it because he cared. I was too blind in my anger then to understand that.

There was always something for me to do on a Saturday night. But now that I'm trapped in my room for the remainder of the night, what was there to look forward to? By now, I'd be in Nintendoville buying myself a treat or just having a way by the ocean. The ocean in Nintendoville was beautiful at night.

I sighed, for a second, tempted to jump out the window and escape but I shook my head and resumed to sit on the windowsill like Meta Knight would every once in a while. I could only wonder where he had gone. He never seemed to be anywhere in the Smash Mansion. Almost like he disappeared altogether.

He could go anywhere he wanted. He had freedom. I couldn't help but feel jealous of that knowing I was the exact opposite. I couldn't have freedom. I gazed at the sky, wondering what it would be like to have wings of my own. I can't imagine how wonderful that would feel.

"Jigglypuff?"

I gasped, losing my balance instantly. He was by my side, holding me in his arms catching me in time. I couldn't breathe as his soft arms lifted me from the fall. "Um...hi," I squeaked out, suddenly nervous, hoping he couldn't feel my heart pounding heavily.

"Is something the matter Jigglypuff? You seem upset."

"Normally, I would have been out in Nintendoville by now but the Master Hand won't even let me out of the room at night. There's nothing to do," I replied irritably.

"I should have known. Even the Master Hand can be too worried for his own good. Jigglypuff, come here." With an inviting arm, he held me against his body. I thought I was going to have a heart attack right then and there. "Did you want to accompany me to Nintendoville?"

My jaw dropped. "A-Are you serious? Wouldn't that be against the rules? The Master Hand said-"

"That you are forbidden to leave the Smash Mansions' grounds _alone_," Meta Knight finished. I soon saw the loophole in the Master Hand's ultimatum and grinned.

"All right. Let's go," I said. No sooner did the words leave my mouth that Meta Knight's cape transformed into his wings. The wind felt wonderful against my face. I just couldn't get enough of it. The memories came back; the beautiful street lights of Nintendoville, the ocean...memories before my sister fell ill. My happiness soon changed to grief. My eyes teared up but I turned away so Meta Knight wouldn't notice.

He landed carefully at a sidewalk. I knew this street quite well. I turned to face Meta Knight, now calmed down. "Where are you taking me?" I asked.

"I noticed you skipped supper earlier. I think eating something would be a wise decision." I narrowed my eyes at him for a split second.

"How did you know? Were you spying on me?"

"No. Your seat at the cafeteria was empty," he stated, leading me through the restaurant doors. I was flattered when he held the door open for me. We soon found a table in the corner. A waitress soon came over when we sat down.

"May I take your order?"

"I'll have a steak and a salad," I said, grateful I knew what was on the menu here. I would have felt uncomfortable otherwise.

"Anything for you?" the girl asked Meta Knight, fluttering her abnormally long eyelashes.

"No thank you," he replied.

"If you say so," the girl replied, sounding disappointed. I couldn't help but chuckle at how badly she was trying to flirt with Meta Knight and how clueless he seemed. Maybe it was a good thing he failed to notice. That when I realized he was staring at me. It soon became obvious he never glanced at the girl at all.

I tried getting onto a different subject. "Meta Knight, why aren't you eating anything?"

"I did not choose to skip dinner," he replied, eyes flashing pink. I raised my hands in defeat.

"True. You got me there," I said, smiling. It felt so good to eat out with someone...even if that someone wasn't eating with me. The company was enough.

The waitress came back,, putting down a plate and a knife. "Here is your meal. Enjoy."

I smiled, trying not to laugh at her attempts to wink at Meta Knight. "Thank you."

"Are you sure you're not hungry?" the girl asked Meta Knight who nodded.

"I am certain."

The girl gave a nod and quickly left, her face beet red. I grinned, taking my knife and cutting a small piece of my steak and slowly chewing it. I never knew how hungry I was until now.

"Jigglypuff, do you mind if I ask you something?" Meta Knight's gentle voice asked me. I looked up from my plate, surprised he was attempting conversation.

"Not, not at all. What is it?"

"What kind of life did you have before you arrived in Smash Brothers?"

I nearly dropped my fork. "W-What kind of question is that?"

He continued to stare at me with his unblinking eyes. "I asked you a simple question. What kind of life did you live before you arrived in this Universe?"

"Oh, nothing much. I worked for a living," I answered, trying not to give away too much information. "I helped raise money to help support my family. Day after day, that's how it was."

He nodded, continuing to watch me eat. I ignored his gaze and tried to finish quickly. I didn't want the Master Hand noticing me gone. "Meta Knight, do you think we could go for a walk after I'm done eating?"

"I see no harm in it. I heard you liked the ocean."

My eyes widened. "Where do you get your information?"

He looked away. "I saw you there before. Alone. You seemed to be lonely."

My face burned with embarrassment. "You were following me?" Was this knight everywhere? Following me? I wanted to bury my face under the safety of my pillow. I began to cut another piece of steak when I felt a sharp pain in my left hand. I looked down in shock to see blood starting to flow from the newly developed cut. I put down the knife, trying to reach for a napkin.

Meta Knight looked up, startled. "Jigglypuff, is something the-" It was when his eyes glanced at the blood did they flash a dark red.


	96. Episode Seventy Seven

**Wow, a double update this weekend. It's a miracle! I'm not sure if I did better or worse writing this chapter but I hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

* * *

**Chapter Ninety Six**

**Episode Seventy Seven**

_Escape; Unknown POV's_

_Everything around me was a dark shade of crimson. Nothing appeared otherwise than the colour of blood. I could only run, hoping I could be able to leave this life behind and start a new one as a reformed demon. The countless years in captivity could only drain any hope I had of surviving the continuous conditions of torture._

_I could only watch the stars in the small window. I was chained to the floor, unable to move. A punishment for disobeying my orders given by my relentless Master._

_Was my fate because there was something wrong with me? That I could not drink blood like the other demon beasts created by the same Master? He accused me of resisting him on purpose. Supposedly, I was designed to crave blood the second I saw it. It only disgusted me, twisting at my stomach._

_I could never fit in with anyone here but always remain the outcast. I lay on the ground defeated. Maybe I would have been better off not being created at all. What importance was life when it defined the same torture I experienced everyday? _

"_Don't give up hope," a soft voice whispered to me, careful not to disturb the other demon beasts who were deep in their sleep. "I think we'll both find a way out of here eventually."_

_I gave her a doubtful look. "You are sure of this?" I was soon aware the demon talking to me was a girl._

"_I've been tortured like you have. I know what it's like," she replied. "But life doesn't have to be this way. We can change our destiny. Personally, I don't want to live here my whole life. How about you?"_

"_I completely agree. What is your plan for escaping? It was your suggestion?" I questioned her. She laughed nervously._

"_I'm still thinking about that." She looked away, her expression uncertain. "But it will be possible to escape from our Master's clutches. If we work together, that is."_

"_Working together is a wise decision." I was initially surprised this girl seemed to agree with me. I was resented by everyone else here. That was the way life was for me._

_She advanced towards me, moving carefully without making a sound. Beside me, I realized similar scars marked her body; very close to ones marking mine. "We both suffered, didn't we?"_

_I could only nod to provide a response. I intended to ask the girl a question myself. "Do you think there is something wrong with me?"_

_The girl's eyes widened in shock. "Of course not. Why?"_

"_Our Master...he whipped me the moment he saw my face. He said I was a failure, that I turned out completely wrong..." The girl touched my cheek very lightly._

"_He's cruel," the girl replied. "I don't see anything wrong with you. I think I'm the one who turned out wrong. My Master was very disappointed with me when I was created. He wanted me to be a winged demon. But I look like neither. Strange how these things happen. You can't control your appearance. No one can. Don't feel down about yourself. Is your Master someone you really want to please?"_

"_You have a point. Letting his words control me like that will not change anything but make things worse. There has to be more to life than this...prison." I could frown at the sight of this place. The same lonely cell. I was grateful I had this girl sharing it with me and not one of the demons who enjoyed seeing me in pain._

"_The stars seem so far away now," the girl whispered. "But soon we will fly among them, in our own life. Our new life."_

"_Our new...life?" Those words seemed so strange in the same sentence. _

_The girl nodded. "That's right. Together, we're an unstoppable team. I know if we work together, we'll never have to see this place again. We could go wherever we wanted...Imagine the freedom!"_

"_Freedom..."_

"Jigglypuff!" a voice called out in a panic. I sat up, suddenly aware I was sitting by the ocean, Meta Knight at my side, his eyes wide. Startled by his sudden display of emotions, I stared at him in stunned fear.

"What happened?" I nearly shouted at him.

"You do not remember?" He questioned me in disbelief. "You had accidentally cut yourself with a knife back at the restaurant. I was about to find help when you began..."

I gasped. "What did I do?"

"...You drank your own blood," he finished, his voice straining to keep calm. I sank back on the ground, staring at my hand. No trace of blood was left. Why didn't I remember drinking my own blood? How come I couldn't recall the experience? I absolutely hated blood. It didn't make sense that I would want it so badly.

"You-You're lying," I breathed out. "There is no way I would do that. I...I can't stand blood!"

His posture stiffened, as if considering that factor. "Come with me. We have to go back unless you wish for the Master Hand to find out about this incident. I am certain you do not want to spend an hour in his office."

"An hour?" I asked confused.

"He is already worried for you as it is. If he knew about this situation, I cannot describe how afraid he would be. He assigned me to keep watch on you. Not even I could tell him what happened. I understand how upset you were that night..." I soon caught on to what he was talking about.

"I was very upset. I kept telling the Master Hand to stop being so worried but he wouldn't listen to me. I just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time," I told Meta Knight, who I hoped would understand that the Master Hand was too paranoid. "But...you saved me from that stalker last week. Who was he?"

Meta Knight fell silent. As each second pass, I grew even more afraid. He sighed, his reply somewhat hesitant. "Jigglypuff, I do not think it would be in your best interest if I told you. Whoever it was will not be following you again. That is what matters."

"I need to know! There could be more of those guys out there! I need to be prepared!" I demanded, hating it when Meta Knight kept information from me. Especially the information I thought was most important.

"You are not ready yet," he replied, offering a hand to me. I accepted, once again in his grasp. "We have been gone for too long. We need to return to the Smash Mansion immediately."

I nodded, realizing how tired I was. I wanted to fall asleep in Meta Knight's arms but forced myself to stay awake. I didn't want to freak him out. Instead, I remained content with resting against his shoulder, gazing at the stars surrounding the moon.

"_Hurry, they'll find us!" the girl called to me. I nodded, trying my best to keep up her. It was not simple after being chained to the ground for a couple days straight. I forced myself to quicken my pace. Once we reached the emergency exit, I held the girl in my hands._

"_Hold on tight," I warned her. She nodded, grasping onto my circular body. My arms wrapped around her protectively. "Our new life is drawing near...are you ready?"_

_She smiled. "Definitely! Let's get out of here! It will only be the two of us, you and me. I'm as ready as I can be."_

_Truly believing her words, I held her tightly drifting past the several stars that seemed far away last night. _

_Our new life had only begun._


	97. Episode Seventy Eight

**I think this Season is turning out much better now. I changed around my ideas I had in mind and things are going by more smoothly. I should hopefully be updating faster now.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

**Chapter Ninety Seven**

**Episode Seventy Eight**

_What Lies Ahead; Unknown POV's_

I tossed and turned in bed one last time before ultimately deciding to give up going back to sleep. I used to sleep quite easily but now sleep never exceeded three hours. I opened my eyes, turning on the radio, hoping it would distract me from the strange nightmares I have been experiencing the previous week.

Meta Knight was sound asleep in his own bed, tonight being one of those rare moments when he is even present in the room. I took my gaze away from the mysterious knight, hoping to think about something else. Anything else would be most welcome.

The radio wasn't providing the distraction I needed for my mind. My hand reached over for the switch. As I made contact with the radio, a bright flash caught my attention. It appeared to be in the sky, soaring past the millions of stars. A ship of some sort. Greatly confused, I climbed out of bed and jumped up on the windowsill to get a better look at it.

I nearly fell off the windowsill in shock of seeing a ship somewhat a mix of a battleship prototype and a flying saucer. I couldn't believe my eyes. I realized when Meta Knight woke up did I fall over and land on my back. I groaned from the pain. When I glanced up at the sky again, the mysterious ship was gone. I blinked in confusion.

"Jigglypuff?"

I looked up, taken aback by Meta Knight's sudden appearance. I could only stare at the starry sky, still in disbelief. "What...was that?"

"Jigglypuff, what is the matter?" I pointed at the sky.

"There...was a strange ship. It looked like a flying saucer but like a battleship...I don't know what I was seeing. Most likely my imagination," I said, trying to dismiss my worry. But Meta Knight's silence didn't help ease my fast paced beating heart.

"...The Schevarnos..." I heard him whisper to himself in what seemed shock. I sat up instantly, eyeing Meta Knight with confusion surprised at the sudden emotion in his voice.

"The Schevarnos?" I replied, not at all familiar with the strange term. "What's that?"

Meta Knight turned his back to me. "Nothing you should concern yourself over. Now go back to bed. You need your rest." I folded my arms, expecting his evasive response.

"I won't go back to sleep," I declined. "I already had enough rest. You're trying to push me away and I won't allow that to happen. You're hiding something from me."

"You are worrying over something that is not of your business. It is not healthy for you Jigglypuff. You need to go back to the sleep." He motioned to the clock. "It is only three in the morning. You should be asleep."

"Can you at least tell me who the Schevarnos are?" I asked, climbing into my bed, snuggling under the warmth of my blankets. Meta Knight returned to his own bed, as if ignoring my question. I growled with irritation. When Meta Knight turned to face me, I found my anger melt instantly and I retreated under my blankets. I could only wonder what Meta Knight was hiding from me as I continued to lie awake under the break of dawn...

_I could barely see anything, the rain hindering my vision. I could not see what was ahead. The girl held onto my hand tightly as we hurried through the storm, afraid of what was to come. During our escape, we had been under attack by rampaging forces of unforgiving monsters. We eventually found a planet after drifting in space for an hour, avoiding the assaults of the monsters at the same time._

"_We're not going to make it!" the girl cried out, dodging the claw of an approaching figure. I pulled her away of the monster's reach, quickening my pace._

"_Don't say that!" I told her, my voice frantic. The girl's eyes widened and she nodded in agreement. "We will find help. It cannot be too far away. Whoever is here, I am certain they can help us."_

"_Should we have even left?" she asked me, her eyes teary. "We could be murdered right here and now. The demons...they'll be after us. And it will never end. Our...Master, he doesn't give up. He'll find some way to find us and he'll...I don't want to imagine what he'd do! Are you going to be safe here?"_

"_Without the demons pursuing us, yes. These demons are not of our Master's army," I assured the girl, who gazed into my eyes in wonder._

"_How do you know that?" she asked. I took a look behind me._

"_The aura of this demon is unlike anything I felt before." In truth, it was a sixth sense being a demon myself. It's presence spoke to me as though it had a voice of its own. _

_I let the girl down once I was sure the demon was no longer chasing us. We spent the next few minutes trying to catch our breath, both tired. The girl leaned on my shoulder. I did the same, though I was not expecting myself to do so. I usually kept my distance from others. The long and aged branches of the trees kept us safe from the constant shower of rain._

"_We'll be safe here, right?" she questioned once we were both comfortable. "If...we ever got into trouble, I wouldn't be able to defend myself. I can't fight."_

"_We will be fine," I repeated, eying the area cautiously. In the distance, I could see a shadow, perhaps of another demon. I stood up and withdrew my sword. The girl swallowed nervously._

"_What's wrong?" I quickly motioned for her to remain quiet. She nodded and leaned back against the rough bark of the tree, eyes as wide as saucers._

_I expected a demon to continue to chase us but instead, it kept a steady and calm paced walk as if brought here by curiosity. I lowered my sword, walking ahead slowly. "Who are you?" I called out, not expecting a response. Instead, I heard a startled gasp. "We are not going to hurt you!" I called out to the creature again. Wide eyed, it listened to my words and emerged from the shadows. The creature's long hair was tied back in a braid, its bug eyes gazing at me in fear. In the distance it seemed so tall but up close, it was only two feet; only a foot taller than I was._

"_I'm...Evistio," it said and by the sound of its voice, it was definitely a female. The girl sitting at the tree had now stood up and greeted the friendly creature. Evistio seemed at ease now._

"_Do your people live in these woods?" the girl asked. Evistio gave a nod._

"_You may follow me. My people would like to meet you. My people, the Schevarnos."_

"_Very well," I replied, now turning to the girl. "You have not told me your name yet."_

"_My name...? It's Purin," the girl replied, smiling nervously. "At least, that's what I think it is."_

"_Hmmm...so that's your name," I replied, the two of us following Evistio to her people. There was not much we could besides go forward to accept what was to come. _

"_Evistio seems nice enough," Purin told me, trying to attempt a conversation._

"_I agree. I wonder if her people know something about those demons that were chasing us earlier. They live on this planet. They might know what they are," I said in reply, now noticing the rain had stopped and the air had become foggy._

"_That's very possible," Purin agreed, now trying to catch up with Evistio. "Let's go. We have no time to waste."_

_As we proceeded up into the forest, a tingle ran down my spine as if to indicate an approaching danger. I looked back only to see a shadow following us. I held back a gasp and quickened my pace. I did not want to cause panic to Purin or Evistio. I hoped if we got out of the forest in time, we would be safe. A loud growl from behind made me freeze in fear. I turned around to see the same demon we escaped from earlier; the one with the nasty claws._

"_Purin, run!"_


	98. Episode Seventy Nine

**Yay! First 2000 word chapter in a long time! I hope you like it. I had a LOT of fun typing this one!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

**Chapter Ninety Eight**

**Episode Seventy Nine**

_Reminders; Unknown POV's_

_Purin opened her mouth to reply to my shout when she spotted the demon heading towards us. She gasped, following alongside with me. Evistio lead us through the trail, navigating through the woods with ease. We ran after the vanishing girl, hoping the demon would lose sight of us and turn back._

"_Is it still chasing us?" Purin asked, holding onto me tightly. Normally I would have found the moment awkward but I was too worried to care. I eyed our surroundings cautiously._

"_Not at the moment. We need to move. Hurry," I commanded to her. Purin gave a nod, the two of us hurrying to catch up with Evistio whose bug-like eyes were wide with fear. She motioned for us to move faster. Immediately, we followed her directions, managing to take cover in a small shelter._

_Evistio sighed with relief, peering out the broken door. "We're...safe for now. It lost us."_

_Purin was completely shaking, huddling in the corner. "Wh-what was that thing that was chasing us?"_

"_The Tigachuri. They've been enemies with our tribe for thousands of years," Evistio replied, still keeping close watch outside. I sat down beside Purin, who gladly appreciated my company. I still could feel her trembling hand in my gloved one._

"_Purin, it's all right. We are fine," I whispered, hoping she would calm down. I never saw Purin so frightened before. "Evistio will lead us to her people. Maybe they can help us."_

"_Just who are their people...the Schevarnos? I've never heard of them before. And we've been around demon beasts our whole lives," Purin told me, her worried expression now one of curiosity._

"_I could sense the presence of that monster that was chasing us," I recalled, now worried myself. "What if the...Tigachuri are demons of a different race?"_

_Purin gasped. "It can't be! Do you think they're here to capture us? Take us back to Nightmare?"_

"_I am unsure if Nightmare was aware this planet existed. It is a possibility he may be planning to capture us once again. We need to be careful," I warned her, who nodded._

"_But...should we tell Evistio? She and her people could be danger if we are being pursued! I don't want her and the others to get hurt! It would be our fault!" Purin lay back against my shoulder, releasing a shaky breath._

_I bit my lip, desperately wanting to keep our lives back with Nightmare a secret. I had no intentions of recalling the past I longed to forget. "Purin...I do not think that is necessary. It would not be a wise idea to tell Evistio. We do not know whose side they are on. If they found out who we were, we could be turned in." Purin's expression flooded over with surprise. _

"_That would be very bad. Okay, I get it. We won't say a word to Evistio about it," Purin agreed only to find the said-creature stare at us with confusion._

"_Won't say a word about what?" Evistio asked, hovering over to us, having no legs of her own but instead, a pale green tail. Purin fidgeted with her shawl, giving a small smile._

"_Oh, nothing...Nothing at all," Purin said evasively, standing up. "Enough about that. Are you going to lead us to your people?"_

"_That was my intention. We should be going. I am positive the demon won't be following us anytime soon," Evistio reassured Purin. The three of us stepped out of the cabin, the forest now clear without the fog or the rain. "It's just over here. We'll be there in a minute or two."_

"_I can't wait!" Purin responded, happily skipping next to Evistio. It seemed her fear a few minutes ago dissolved and faded away. I could not bring myself to relax. Evistio said so herself the Tigachuri were demons. Inside, I could only dread the Tigachuri were nothing but trouble. A danger...I turned away from the cabin and continued to follow Purin and Evistio up the hill. It felt more comfortable to use my wings opposed to progressing on the wet and uneven terrain cluttered with bushes and displaced roots._

"_How much longer?" Purin gasped, exhausted. I quickly took her in my arms before she gave out completely. She sent me an expression of gratitude as she settled in my arms. "Look over there! Are we here? Is this your village, Evistio?"_

"_Yes. Follow me. And be careful. The Tigachuri attack our village on occasion. We always have to be prepared for another attack. We had a couple this month. A few thousand of us died." Purin gasped, tears in her eyes._

"_I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I had no idea your people suffered so much. I feel so bad."_

"_Don't be Purin," Evistio replied, trying to smile though her eyes told the opposite. "We have to be strong and move on. The dead would have wanted us to carry on with our lives. I don't want you or your friend to feel guilty about that. Understood?"_

_She nodded, trying to return the smile. "Okay."_

"_We should go to Mayschai's house. She's the leader of our people. I'm sure she'll be happy to let you two stay here for a while. It doesn't look like you have a place to go," Evistio pointed out._

"_Of course not. We were lost in the middle of a forest," Purin said, trying to laugh about it. Evistio smiled at that._

"_Thought so. You two follow me. Mayschai is kind. Trust me."_

_At most, it only took a couple minutes to find the house. I couldn't help but feel intrigued by the houses. It seemed so strange to have welcome home to live in when all I have known my whole life was prison cells lined up in tightly packed rows. I lived in them for enough years. I was lucky to have Purin with me._

"_You live in your homes?" I asked. Evistio nodded, taken aback by my question._

"_Of course we do. We value our freedom in our village. It's wonderful to have a home. It truly is," Evistio said, only to gaze at my eyes with concern. "Are you feeling all right? You look sad."_

_Purin gave my hand a gentle squeeze. I took a few deep breaths to keep my calm composure. "I am all right. We need to go to Mayschai's house. Let's go."_

_Evistio gave the wooden door a small push. It opened with relative ease, the three of us taking small steps inside. A home was truly more welcome than a prison cell. I had no idea of what to expect. Evistio assured me Mayschai was nice but I would have to witness that to fully trust her words._

"_Evistio, are these the two who were lost in the forest? You brought them here?" the older creature spoke, her voice majestic and serious at the same time._

"_Yes. They're the same ones," Evistio replied before turning to Purin and I. "She foresaw you coming for some reason. Perhaps this meeting isn't a coincidence. Maybe it's destiny. What do you think Mayschai?"_

"_That is how it comes across to me. They are to be treated with respect," Mayschai replied. Under the moonlight, she was unbelievably beautiful. She too, had a light green tail like Evistio and shining gold and green peacock wings rather than arms. Her dark brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, a flower crown placed on the top of her head. Her dark brown oval eyes peered at us without blinking. "What did you say your names were? What do you call yourself?"_

"_I'm Purin," my friend spoke with a strong sincerity. "And this is my friend Meta Knight. I'm glad to meet you."_

"_The feeling is mutual. The village of Celeisha welcomes you," Mayschai told the two. "You are part of us now. The missing piece our tribe has been missing for several hundreds of years. Perhaps you are our final and only hope to save our people. I heard from some of the locals the Tigachuri are gathering in violent packs once again. Our village could be in ruins if the rumours are true. But you two, your bond is strong. The strength we need to triumph over the demons."_

"_You're saying that...we can help you?" Purin's eyes lit up at the thought._

"_It will not be an easy task but you two are the only ones we can trust. I know we can trust you," Mayschai spoke, with a gentle and calm tone. "The locals will be informed of the situation. There is no need to feel out of place here. This your home too, as much as it is ours. You are welcome in this village."_

"_Thank you so much," Purin said, her eyes the widest I have seen them. I gave a nod of acknowledgment. "But where are we staying tonight?"_

"_You can stay here tonight. I do not see a problem with it," Mayschai answered, her right wing pointing to the beds. "I foresaw your arrival and prepared your beds in advance."_

"_We appreciate your hospitality," I told her, my eyes a light shade of blue. "You have our gratitude."_

"_You're welcome. I do hope you have good rest," came her response. "Sleep well, the both of you. We will show you around the village tomorrow."_

"_Thanks," Purin replied, lying in her bed. I found my eyes staring into hers, unable to look away. She spotted me gazing at her and tilted her body in confusion. "Meta Knight, are you all right?"_

_I was soon aware she was speaking to me, my gaze averting to the ground in shame. How could I allow myself to do such a thing? I could not have feelings for her! It was not possible! "I am fine Purin. I hope you sleep well." I turned over on my side, closing my eyes, sleep coming the instant I rested against the pillow._

Again. It happened again. The flashbacks...I have been experiencing those every time I slept. Each time, they told a story like a separate chapter. They only made me suspicious that Meta Knight was hiding something from me. But those flashbacks, I found myself gazing at the past though his point of view. I sighed, confused with it all. I saw myself in those flashbacks. But those memories felt so familiar to me...why couldn't I remember them? Was that truly me I saw in the strange dreams I had been experiencing?

I skipped breakfast and headed straight for the library. I had no time to waste. Not when so many questions remained unanswered. I made my way to the desk, waiting for the librarian to return. "Um...excuse me," I said in a quiet voice, still unsure if my plan was a good idea.

"May I help you?" the woman replied in a businesslike manner. I nodded.

"Yes, it's very important. Would you happen to have any books about the Schevarnos?" She was silent for a minute, comprehending my request.

"If it is that important, all right. You can find the book in Aisle two, bottom shelf. It should be useful to you. Treat the book well. It was hard finding that one."

"I will be careful. Thank you," I replied, heading for said-Aisle. At first the search was fruitless. I was about to turn back, tired of looking through several other books when I found one titled, _"The Schevarnos of Ancient Times."_

I carefully opened the book, one sentence marking the first page. _"The Story of the Schevarnos, who were last seen one thousand years ago..." _One thousand years ago? If Meta Knight and me had met these guys...then does that mean I lived for...that I already knew...It couldn't be.

I gasped and slammed the book closed. I felt like fainting on the spot. It just couldn't be possible. I wasn't a thousand years old. I wasn't the girl who escaped from Nightmare. I lived with my Pokemon Trainer and Jaynwa. That's what I could remember.

What...I could remember...

"How could this be possible? Did Meta Knight know all this and wouldn't tell me? Had I known him before the Tournament? Ugh, this is all so confusing!" I whispered, eyes as wide as saucers. "This is impossible. What am I? What am I really?"

"So...you know the truth," a deep voice said in a tone barely audible, it's owner standing on the bookshelf, his cape tightly wrapped around his body. My pupils shrunk at the sight of Meta Knight whose eyes were a deep shade of green. He landed beside me, staring into my eyes. I couldn't help but feel afraid.

"This isn't what it looks like!" I protested, trying to hide the book. He ignored my words, his eyes now looking in the opposite direction a second later.

"It is...true. You are Purin."


	99. Episode Eighty

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to SSBB.

* * *

**Chapter Ninety Nine**

**Episode Eighty**

_Regrets; Jigglypuff's POV_

I could only stare at Meta Knight in confusion from his response, an expression in his tone I had not heard before. "I'm...Purin? What are you talking about?"

To my dismay, Meta Knight didn't say a word, allowing a dreaded silence to fill the vacant room. I clutched the book I hid behind my back tightly until a gloved hand extended forward and took it in his own grasp with ease. I gulped as Meta Knight turned through the pages of the book. Knowing I was caught red handed, I took quiet and small steps backwards hoping to make a clean getaway while I still had the chance. My plan succeeded for exactly two seconds before his other hand held me in place, my feet freezing to the ground.

"Meta Knight, let me go!" I demanded, struggling to free myself from his powerful yet gentle grip. My attempts were useless despite my determination. "Let me go this instant!"

I expected him to be annoyed but instead, he put the book back on the shelf and used his other hand to hold me close in a...hug? My struggles came to an abrupt stop, my body leaning against his. No words could explain my surprise of his kind gesture. My shock soon subsided and I found myself holding him just as tightly. Tears flowed down my cheeks and dripped from my now soaked face.

"...You remember?" he whispered in my ear. Before I realized what I was doing, I lifted up his mask, my eyes meeting his radiant white ones, his face displaying an expression of shock.

"Only parts, in dreams..." I told him, my eyes slamming shut. "But...am I the same Purin I see in my dreams? I need to know...Why is this happening to me?"

He swiftly turned around, facing the opposition direction. "Purin, I cannot explain now. I sense we will not be alone for much longer. Not here. We need to discuss this in private. Follow me." Meta Knight separated from my grasp, his cape now wrapping around his round body, the material snug and form fitting. I followed behind quickly keeping up with Meta Knight, making sure not to look at anyone who happened to pass by.

He lead me through the front doors and to my surprise, he held my hand, his gloved one stroking mine as if out of affection. I stared at Meta Knight a stunned disbelief, hard to believe this was the same knight who kept a distance from me. The exact same one I wanted to avoid since we first met here at the Smash Mansion.

We passed the garden, through the forest without a single word exchanged between the two of us. I was normally a social and outgoing person and preferred to engage in a conversation rather than dread a long silence. Meta Knight never looked back at me once the whole time he kept leading me. I had no idea where he was taking me. I could only be afraid the Master Hand would discover our absence but that was the least of my worries now. Especially when compared to the doubt of what I thought was real or derived from imagination.

We eventually stopped at the top of the cliff, by the end of the forest. For a long moment, none of us spoke. I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know why I was brought all the way of here; so far from the Smash Mansion. I glanced up nervously at the grey clouds, hoping it wouldn't storm before we returned to the Smash Mansion.

"How long have you...had these dreams?" came Meta Knight's deep and melodious voice, its grim demeanour triggering a sudden shiver in my round body.

"For a while," I answered back, hugging my thin shawl closer to my cold skin. "Since the day we first met here. It began with a simple nightmare but soon became flashbacks of the past. Each dream seemed to continue where the last one left off."

"And you are certain these are indeed the recollection of the past?" he soon queried, as if doubtful himself. I nodded.

"Yes, I came across the term...Schevarnos, I think," I replied and much to my surprise, Meta Knight whirled around the second I finished speaking, eyes a deep shade of green.

"When did you first dream of these...Schevarnos?" Apparent stress rang out in his tone. I gulped, almost regretting to even respond at all.

"That night... you let it slip. It's been on my mind ever since," I confessed, knowing this was no longer a figment of my imagination. Perhaps...these flashbacks _are_ real. "Meta Knight...please tell me. If these dreams are really memories, why do I see them every single night? I don't understand any of this. I'm scared."

He motioned for me to sit down. His arm wrapped around my shoulder, eyes a deep green than I ever saw before. "...They are memories. Yours. The ones you lost long ago."

"M-Mine? My memories! How is that possible?" Meta Knight supported me in his arms, careful I wouldn't fall over, my astonishment taking away the balance I had in both my mind and body. He shifted slightly, the only signal I could see that he was uncomfortable, out of place.

"Purin...I am deeply sorry. I should have told you earlier. It would have made everything easier if you knew...We did not first meet here in the tournament but on that night one thousand years ago...We were both creations of Nightmare, an evil entity whose goal was to conquer the entire universe. I was wondering about at the time and discovered Nightmare had made a new creation but according to his standards, it had turned out completely wrong. He was outraged. He discovered that I had overheard the entire ordeal and sent the two of us to the dungeons. We had met then...long ago."

"Wait a minute...what you're saying is that I'm not a real Pokemon but a failed monster?" I choked out, horrified by the truth in Meta Knight's words. "Then that means... I never had a sister. Jaynwa and I weren't even related! I-I can't believe this! If this was true, how come I couldn't remember any of this?"

"Allow me to explain," Meta Knight replied. "I understand how upset you must be, but you need to listen to the full story. A story I should have told you long ago."

I tried forcing a positive smile. "All right. I'm listening. Go ahead." I made the effort to sound calm rather than choked up. I didn't want to cause a scene. Especially not now.

"Nightmare had hurt you. I could tell when you taken into the prison cell with me. I was angry. I could not describe the rage I felt that night. When you were hurt, I lost all control of myself and tried to fight back. I was punished severely for interfering." His voice wavered as if he had been trying to desperately to keep his composure the whole time we were speaking.

"Severely?" I asked, holding his hand without any hesitance.

"Yes. Severely... abuse. We both had endured the same punishment. You still had hope we could escape and start a new life. Your strength had amazed me. Your life was only beginning but you did not allow Nightmare to tempt you into the darkness. Not only had you allowed the seeds of hope to grow within yourself but within me as well. We did succeed at escaping and had unintentionally found ourselves on another planet lost in the woods," Meta Knight explained, each sentence confirming what I had seen in my dreams. "We were welcomed by the creatures of the forest village Celeisha, the Schevarnos. It felt as though fate had leaded us to the planet. The village leader Mayschai believed we would be able to save her people from the Tigachuri, a vicious demon tribe."

"Did...we end up helping the Schevarnos?" I questioned Meta Knight who sighed in reply.

"Somewhat. The battle lead to an all out war resulting in so much death and destruction. That night, I nearly lost you. You had been wounded badly. The injury upside your head was fatal. We feared you had brain damage as a result. I could not express my happiness to see you wake up but...you no longer remembered me or anything that happened to you since the battle..." He trailed off, lifting up his mask, his hand sliding underneath the metal. I reached out lifting up the mask all the way and to my shock, I saw tears soak his cheeks. Not expecting this display of emotion from the knight I assumed to be heartless, I dried the tears from his face, tempted to cry myself from seeing him so broken.

"Meta Knight, it's okay...I'm here now. And slowly, I'm recovering my memories. I'm going to be fine. Please, cheer up," I pleaded. He instantly lowered his mask and turned away.

"That...was quite unnecessary," he stated, his voice now composed opposed to the vulnerability wavering in it seconds ago. I shrunk back, afraid I made him angry.

"I'm sorry. I had no right to touch your mask. I'm not asking you to forgive me," I quickly said, expecting a frustrated reply in return for my frantic apology.

He gave a nod but said nothing to accompany his gesture.

"Meta Knight, you don't need to be ashamed. Especially not around me. We have been through so much together," I said to the now unusually silent knight.

"Purin, nevermind about that. You are correct. You are indeed recovering. I knew the moment I found you in the library this morning. I could not describe my surprise. I never...thought you would remember me. I could not believe you were the same Purin I nearly lost so many years ago."

"But...how do you know I'm the right one?" I asked, knowing that I looked the same as any other Jigglypuff.

His hand undid the buttons of my shawl and slowly pushed it aside. I shuddered at the sight of the scars that left their permanent marks on my body. "You are the same Purin I had known...and loved." My heart nearly stopped at those last couple words. Had I heard correctly? Did he say he loved me?

"Meta Knight...did you...?" I gasped. "No, it can't be..."

"Purin, I cared for you the moment you were created. The experiences we shared together, the trust bonded between us...I thought it was only a friendship but..." He leaned forward, his voice ticking my ear as he spoke. "It was not only a friendship. I...fell in love in you."


	100. Episode Eighty One

**This story is finally at 100 chapters! Yay for 3 digits! I'm SO happy this story made it this far! Thank you so much to The Vampire's Sorrow for inspiring me to type this and giving me the motivation!**

**And thank you to anyone who supported my story! You are all awesome!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers.**

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**Chapter One Hundred**

**Episode Eighty One**

_Downfall, Jigglypuff's POV_

"You...loved me? Back then, all those years ago?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My eyes were on the verge of flooding over, my heart instantly responding to Meta Knight's words. I buttoned up my shawl again to protect myself from the chilly wind. I placed my hands on his shoulders, my jaw hung open in shock. Meta Knight continued to stay in the same position, not even responding to my touch. It was as if he had been frozen like a statue and unable to move.

Sensing my discomfort, he placed his hand over mine. "Purin..." It was as if my name had been practically been forced out of his mouth. "Nevermind about that. I am not ready for this."

Not ready? _Not ready? _"Meta Knight, we've known each other for years!" I blurted out, trying to reason with his decision. I could hear him swallow nervously even though he tried to cover it up with his calm facade.

"Purin, we can discuss that another time, if you do not mind..."

Inside, I felt completely devastated. Was Meta Knight rejecting me and trying to change the subject so he wouldn't hurt my feelings? Whether that was his intention or not, it still hurt. For a moment, I thought he would have...I couldn't even look him in the eye from shame. I tried so hard not to cry. I could cry later when he was nowhere near me. I couldn't break down in front of him. I'd have to show I accepted his opinion. I had no other choice. I didn't want to ruin anything between us just because I wanted a relationship with him and he didn't. Not only would it make everything worse but destroy our friendship that bonded us for hundreds of years.

"I understand Meta Knight. I won't say anything about it anymore," I tried to promise without tripping up on any of my words. "If you don't want this...then I won't object to your decision."

"Do not take it personally Purin. If the circumstances were more...desirable, then I would have no doubt having you as my...my...partner..." he ended with a whisper. "A danger is lurking somewhere nearby. I can feel it."

"Danger?" I queried, standing up abruptly. He took my hand in his and I returned to the ground again. I let out a shaky breath as his cape draped over my shoulder. My eyelids drooped, his arms reaching out to hold me. I could hear him sigh softly, his hand carefully touching my cheek as though I were abnormally breakable. My eyes closed before Meta Knight could see them water again.

"Yes, a danger. I can only fear the worst may happen, whatever it may be," he warned me, a raspy edge to his voice.

"Does...this have to do with anything I saw in my dreams?" I asked, taking note of the dark blue shade in his eyes.

He stood up, his mysterious eyes glancing cautiously at the clouds. "Purin, we should return to the Smash Mansion."

"Wh-What? Did I do something wrong?" I questioned, gazing into Meta Knight's troubled eyes. I soon felt a pain ache my stomach when he didn't respond but took hold of my hand and lead me in the direction of the Smash Mansion.

"Purin, we must hurry!" he shouted to me, practically holding me in his arms as he flew down the steep valley. I nearly screamed at the long drop below us. It wasn't long before I heard the sound of large wings wavering back and forth above in the clouds. I gulped, the creatures large shadow covering the land in an eerie darkness.

"M-Meta Knight? Can you explain what's happening?" I stuttered out, staring the large shadow with fear. I could hear him growl from behind his mask. I gasped out in surprise until a hand covered my mouth in desperation.

"Purin, you must stay quiet. It will hear you," Meta Knight warned me, lowering his altitude, allowing us to fit through the rows of tightly close trees. I was afraid we'd hit one by accident and be seriously hurt. I trembled at the possibility.

"Meta Knight, I'm scared," I whimpered, my fresh tears dripping onto his mask.

"We will be fine," Meta Knight reassured me in a hushed whisper before another shadow joined the first one. He cursed silently, trying to quicken his pace through the forest. He rarely cursed; only if the situation was that stressful. "Purin," he spoke softly. "Forgive me."

"Forgive you? For what?" I asked him, taken aback by the question.

"I am sorry...Purin, I love you!" he confessed before I realized I had fallen from his arms down to the rocky ground below. I held back a stifled scream as my seemingly lifeless body dropped without any resistance. I sobbed when I finally hit the ground, the sharp rocks, cutting my arms deeply. My shawl was completely coated with dirt and dust, torn in several areas.

Gasping, I noticed the blood flow down my arms on to the ground below. Thinking on instinct, I pulled my shawl off and tore it into bandages which I tied tightly to the my wounds to sever the flow of blood. Thankfully, it seemed to work. After many attempts of slowing down my breathing, I finally looked up at the sky to see Meta Knight's silhouette fading away into the horizon, a large beast following behind. Did he _abandon _me here? I shivered, horrified by the idea.

I pushed past any bushes and flora of the like, hoping to escape from the forest before night. I could only wonder if Meta Knight dropped me here on purpose. Why would he do that? If he loved me, why would he leave me to fend for myself on my own, surrounded by viscous and unrelenting predators?

My heart thundered rapidly at the sound of a ferocious growl. I slowly turned around to see a very familiar figure. A three foot tall demon with long fangs hanging from its jaw, stained with the blood of a previous victim. It's oval red eyes pierced into mine, scaled body slowly advancing forward.

"I see your boyfriend has left you unprotected," he spoke with a smug grin on this face. "That is not a problem. I would thank him myself if I had the chance for this opportunity. When you are alone, there is nothing much you can do to survive, can't you? I've seen you before try to escape me before but this time is different. This time, you are alone."

"Y-You!" I spat, glaring at the demon. "You're the guy had stalked me in Nintendoville! I remember you!"

"Ah, I see you remember me. How impressive," he replied, smiling with triumph. "The name is Vratzha. Glad to see we meet again, Purin."

I frowned. "Vratzha, huh? You're a Tigachuri, right?"

"Oh, very well informed, I see! How marvellous. I'm very impressed. Doesn't it seem like a long time ago since we first met? Time does fly wouldn't you agree?" questioned a grinning Vratzha.

"What do you want with me? My life?" I snapped, mouth twisted into a demented, loathed glare. "I suggest you look somewhere else! I won't allow you to kill me."

"Who said anything about taking your life? My, aren't we accusing today? Some living creatures don't change," Vratzha replied, unfolding his arms. "As you see, I come in peace. I don't wish to harm you. I just want to talk with you. Nothing else."

"You better keep to your word," I threatened, still in a defensive stance, ready to run if necessary. "Talk."

"The Tigachuri have not forgotten about you," Vratzha began to explain. "They will be after you. They wanted me to make that clear. We have not gone extinct. I was quite surprised to see you here. I thought you were with that bat winged demon."

"I used to," I confirmed to the curious demon.

"I'm surprised that dragon half breed didn't devour you alive yet. That demon was always chivalrous. I wouldn't doubt if he dropped you here on purpose to save you from being killed. That does make things problematic...nevertheless, the puffball should be dead by now. No one has been able to escape those demons before." I stared at Vratzha, wide eyed.

"Meta Knight died?" I cried out in shock. Vratzha shrugged his scaly, black shoulders.

"Most likely. Escaping from those brutes is next to impossible. Don't even think otherwise. It's hopeless."

My eyes burned with hot tears. That knight loved me. He sacrificed his life for me. He cared for me. And this cold hearted demon thought this was a joke. I lunged forward to tear him apart when he punched me across the face, hard across the cheek. I yelped in surprise, landing back on the dirty and rough terrain.

"That is enough, foolish girl," Vratzha ordered. "I said I would not hurt you but if you attack me, I have every right to defend myself by the orders of my Master. Now stay still if you value your life. Your precious Meta Knight wouldn't want to you to die so soon."

I scowled and did as I was told, the effects of his punch taking its toll on me. I couldn't open my mouth to speak. The jaw felt close to broken. I silently cried, hoping someone would save me. No miracle would save me. My friend, my potential lover was supposedly dead. How could I have the strength to go on?

Vratzha withdrew his shiny, shimmering silver sword from his sheath, covered by the depths of his onyx cloak. He pointed it to my throat, threatening to push it in if I didn't comply with his orders. I gasped for air as the tip pressed against my skin.

"Wait, stop! What are you doing here?" a voice called out from the shadows. Vratzha pulled the blade away from my skin, eyes wide with surprise. I sighed with relief and stood up, eager to see my saviour. A legless hovering body stepped out into the light, eyes meeting mine for a brief second.

"Are you...it can't be!" I whispered, instantly recognizing the girl. I soon landed on the ground again, my body responding to my injuries.

"It is true. Purin, we meet again...here of all places," Evistio replied, worry clouding her fearful eyes.

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_~ End of Part 1~_


	101. Season 6, Part 2 : Prologue

**I decided to write a Part 2 prologue for my first bonus chapter. It's not as long as my usual update but I hope it will do. :D Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers. I only own my original characters and settings.**

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**Chapter 101**

**Part 2 Interlude**

_The Dark Side_

A clan of demonic monsters sat around somewhat casually around a round table nearby to a blazing fireplace. At a first glance, all of them seemed to have a contented demeanor unlike their leader who had a frown plastered to his face. The leader's curved fangs nearly pierced through the skin as his mouth twisted into a glare of loath.

"Minions!" he growled. "Vratzha has reported. The Schevarnos are interfering. The demon girl has been found a mile away from the Smashers residence. I gave the order for the girl to be captured. It seems the Schevarnos haven't gone extinct after all."

"Reported?" one of his minions spoke up, a small fanged cross breed between a dragon and a bat. "No one told us anything. How would Vratzha be able to report from the Smash Universe?"

"He's communicating telepathically. I can see what is happening. The girl is meddling with our plans. I grow tired of it," the leader said in reply. "A thousand years ago, those horrendous creatures were meant to go extinct. I thought we destroyed them all. During that glorious battle, we were destined to win. Something must be done."

"Lord Hiduils, what shall be done about the girl?" spoke the same half dragon, half bat demon. "Did she get away?"

"Unfortunately Baijsa. Vratzha will capture Purin or else he will suffer dearly. That same girl that survived the all out war to still live on. It's despicable. Should he fail his mission, I will be sure to send in reinforcements. Purin will not hide from me forever. She will get the fate she deserved," Hiduils spoke in his low and menacing voice.

"Lord Hiduils," Baijsa began. "How did Purin end up in the Smash Universe? Any idea?"

"Hmmm... Not too long ago, we discovered where she has been hiding. I could only see her for a short moment in that forest before the Master Hand invited her to join the next tournament. I haven't been able to see her since then. Curse that hand," Hiduils growled. "I would have had her by now. Now that I know where she is, there will be no escape. She lived longer than she needed to. Clever girl...blending in with the Pokemon residents. She fit in perfectly. But not anymore."

Bihla, a deep magenta bat with majestic purple wings, observed the two, now in deep thought opposed to the calm mood she had dwelled in before. "My Lord, what should we do with the demon Purin supposedly loved? Do you suppose he's still around?"

"I am unsure myself," came Hiduils reluctant reply. "I have not seen him in a thousand years. If he was still alive, I'd request to have him annihilated with the girl. If I recall correctly, those two were the reason our destiny was not fulfilled. The reason why we lost the war. Those two..._failed_ demons interfered and ruined our plans!"

"What about the dragon you sent to accompany Vratzha?" Bihla queried. "Is she helping Vratzha at all?"

Hiduils thought for a moment. "Hmmm...that does raise a question. Give me a moment." His onyx, black orb eyes closed as he attempted to connect with the dragon's mind. Bihla and Baijsa exchanged uncertain expressions. Their leader's eyes soon flashed a dangerous burgundy as they reopened.

"Lord Hiduils, what did you see?" Bihla asked.

"The dreaded...puffball! The dragon's not following Purin at all. She's going after the other puffball which means...he's still alive!" His harsh tone echoed off the walls. Both Bihla and Baijsa's eyes widened.

"I-It can't be possible! I thought he died in that battle!" Bihla finally spoke, her face a complete look of surprise.

"I suppose he managed to survive. He should be executed as soon as possible. I do not intend to give up. He and Purin will die. Both of them will not escape my wrath. Not if I can help it. If destiny meant for the both of them to stay together, I shall defy it all and destroy that fantasy."

"What about the Schevarnos girl? You said one of them interfered," Baijsa reminded his leader.

"Evistio, that wretched demon," Hiduils confirmed to his curious minions. "She has gone too far."

"Evistio? You mean, Evistio, the new Queen and leader of the Schevarnos? The Queen herself is delaying Purin's capture. The impudence!" Bihla spat in disgust, folding her winged arms.

"Should the three of them receive the death sentence the moment we capture them?" Baijsa questioned the leader, who smiled at the idea.

"That was our intentional plan. I wish for it to be carried through. Simple."

"How's the dragon holding up? Is the puffball dead yet?" Bihla asked, cursing the fact she couldn't connect her mind with another creature like Hiduils could.

"He's lingering around, the stubborn demon. Perhaps sending in the reinforcement would be a wise decision now. Purin and the other demon have parted ways. I will inform Vratzha of our new plan. Hold on a minute." The room fell silent for a few minutes, longer than usual. But soon enough, Hiduils once again opened his eyes. "Vratzha has agreed to our plan. Purin and Evistio escaped. We have no time to waste. Both of them must be captured."

"What about the winged demon?"

Hiduils shook his head. "If the dragon cannot find him, she can help Vratzha. I will not waste my time on him yet. The time is not right. I'll know when it is our time to intervene with the puffball." With a wave of his hand, the fire dwindled down instantly. "Consider this meeting concluded. You two and the others are allowed to leave. I'll see you all in the morning."

"Yes, My Lord," Bihla replied, giving a quick and respectful bow before briefly departing with Baijsa, secretly holding hands when they were out of Hiduils' sight. Lips quickly locked tightly before separating once again.

Hiduils continued to sit by the now vacant table, appearing at first glance to be sitting down in deep thought. Yet he intended to watch the action for himself through the eyes of another. No one would fail his commands. He would stop at nothing to make sure he succeeded, no matter how many innocent lives perished. He briefly laughed before the room became enveloped in a blanket of darkness.


	102. Episode Eighty Two

**Part 2 has officially started! :D It took me quite a while to get this done but in the end, I think it turned out all right.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers. I only own my original characters and settings.**

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**Season 6, Part 2**

**Chapter 102**

**Episode Eighty Two**

_Reunion_

"Purin, over here! Hurry!" Evistio called out to me. I struggled to catch up to her. My wounds were stinging, making my progress exceedingly difficult.

"I-I'm trying," I gasped out, collapsing to my feet. Evistio quickly turned back and swept me off the ground, carrying me tightly as she hurried across the field.

"I'm sorry if I pushed you too hard. Escaping from Vratzha is nearly impossible. I only wanted you to be safe. You can relax now. He should be elsewhere," Evistio quickly whispered into my ear.

"Vratzha's that dangerous?" I whispered back. Evistio gave a nod, her wide bug eyes glancing around their surroundings with a sudden tension, an apprehension.

"Something must have made him angry if he left us alone. We were lucky. We would have been killed had he not been distracted. But what could have caused such a miracle?" Evistio asked, talking to herself than me. Yet I listened regardless. An ear splitting scream rang across the land, taking both of us by surprise. My hands covered my ears but it did nothing to drown out the horrific cries of pain erupting miles away.

"W-What was that?" I queried, taking a quick peek from behind the trees we hid behind.

Evistio hovered out to the rocky terrain, glancing at the darkened sky. "That monster that chased you earlier...has been killed. Murdered. But how...?"

"That same monster that chased me and Meta Knight?" I asked, wincing as I said his name. "How could anyone get near that thing without getting killed?"

"They are near impossible to kill...that's why Vratzha must be so angry," came Evistio's now trembling voice. "It's a relief and all the monster was killed but Vratzha's anger...it is so horrible, it's indescribable."

I gasped suddenly. "What about Meta Knight? Was...he truly killed by that monster?"

Evistio lips curved down into a frown. "I can't say for sure. He could be anywhere by now. I'm not saying he's dead. There's still a chance he survived." She shook her head. "Now's not the time to ponder this. We need to get back to the Smash Mansion. I want you to pack whatever you determine is necessary. We're leaving."

I stared at her in disbelief. "We're leaving? Without telling anyone? The Master Hand will be so worried! He's already paranoid as it is! I can't worry him anymore. We should at least tell him I'll be absent from the tournament."

"Purin, Vratzha will kill you if you are found. And not just you. The others residing in this mansion. If you want them all to live, we have to depart immediately," Evistio insisted, her eyes glowing in desperation. "We can take cover at my planet, my hometown. I rule the land there now. It should all work out."

My pupils widened considerably as her words finally comprehended in my mind. "You're the Queen? I thought..."

"During the war in my homeland, Queen Mayschai was killed. Don't you remember?" The question was mind boggling. I had no recollection of Mayschai's passing at all.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea she died..." I trailed off, completely ashamed. How much of my memory did I lose one thousand years ago? "Evistio, I'm really sorry. My memory..."

A look of realization appeared on her face. "Oh, that's right. That means that Meta Knight finally told you." Even his name sent a pain throughout my stomach. I couldn't accept the fact that he could be close to death. All because of the Tigachuri. I only nodded, unsure of what to say next. What was there to talk about now?

Evistio helped me climb through my window. I didn't want to pass by anyone else along the way so the window was the only option I had of entering my room. Meta Knight's area seemed so vacant and empty like he was never there at all. I turned away, hastily shoving anything I found valuable into a small cloth bag and returned to Evistio who was waiting on the windowsill.

"Are you ready?"

I took one last look at the bedroom. "Y-yes. We can leave now."

Evistio noticed the sadness welling up in my eyes. "Do not be sad. When this is all over, you will be allowed to return to this Universe. This is not permanent, Purin. Only until things settle down with the Tigachuri."

"Until things settle down," I silently repeated. "Does that mean we'd have to fight another war?" From the corner of my eye, I spotted Evistio biting her bottom lip in worry.

Evistio frowned. "The Tigachuri like to do things their way. Reaching a compromise is out of the question. War is a very likely possibility. Should a war arise, I will do my best to ensure your safety. Purin, you will not be left unprotected."

I clutched my cloth bag, trying to be brave. I had to. There was no other choice. "Thank you. But how will we get back to the planet?"

"On my ship," Evistio replied, guiding me to the forest. "I didn't arrive here alone. A few of my bodyguards were assigned to accompany me. Come quietly. We can escape without anyone noticing. My ship has the ability to camouflage. We were fearful of our presence being known. Remember, we're supposed to be extinct."

It was the exact same ship I saw before I dreamt of these creatures the first time. From high above, it looked so small but below on the ground, its size was massive. I quietly walked in, intimidated by its size. The ship never made a sound as the two of us entered. Before I could say a word, Evistio pointed to the left. Trusting the gesture, I followed the order and found my new bedroom. But I wasn't alone.

A circular form lay on another bed. Yet it appeared very familiar. It turned around, it's masked face immediately allowing me to recognize his identity. "M-Meta Knight! You're here?"

I didn't have time to speak another word before his arms grasped me so tightly in a hug.

"Purin, you are safe," he whispered, his voice wavering. He glanced down at my wounds and fell silent immediately. I soon heard a small gasp of shock. "You..are hurt. I am sorry. I really am. I should not have left you alone."

I was reminded my shawl was nothing but scraps of bandages used to stop the flow of blood from my injuries. I felt my face flush as I hurried to find a blanket to wrap around myself. "They'll heal. It's just a scratch. They'll be better in no time," I tried to reassure the wide eyed knight. He swiped the blanket off, staring at my wounds in horror.

"Purin, I should have protected you. It was foolish of me to leave you alone. Because of my irresponsible actions, you were injured," he continued, guilt shining in his eyes.

"Meta Knight, please don't worry. We're together now, right? That's what matters. I'll make a recovery, I promise," I assured him. I could hear him sigh behind the mask.

"I will never leave you unprotected again. That is my promise to you," he replied, wrapping his arms around me in a careful manner. "I worry because I care about you. No matter what you may say to change my mind, the worry will always be there. As long as you live, I want to be there by your side. I separated myself from you for too long."

"What if...there is a war?" I asked, causing Meta Knight's eyes to widen at the thought.

"We will stay together, no matter what," he quickly said. He released me from his grasp. "Even if a war should break out, you will not be left alone. I almost lost you once. I will not allow that to happen again. Losing someone you love is a painful experience."

"Love?" I repeated, feeling a tingling sensation deep within me. "Does that mean...?"

"Nevermind. We should arrive at our destination tomorrow. You should ask Evistio for medical attention," Meta Knight suggested, once again being his evasive self. I sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I guess that is the best thing to do," I agreed, leaving the room, completely crushed.


	103. Episode Eighty Three

**Another chapter up already! Enjoy:)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers. I only own my original characters and settings.**

* * *

**Chapter 103**

**Episode Eighty Three**

_The Predicament_

Evistio carefully applied disinfectant to each of my wounds. I bit my lip from the stinging. I expected it would be painful so I didn't make a sound. I wanted to be brave. I especially hoped Meta Knight would be somewhat more relaxed rather than uptight. Again, he acted evasively. I wished he would realize he doesn't _need_ to be evasive. He can be honest around me.

"Are you all right? You look sad," Evistio pointed out.

"I'm fine," I insisted, putting on my most convincing, relaxed expression. Thankfully Evistio believed it and didn't question me any further. I quietly sighed from relief. I couldn't continue the facade for much longer. "Evistio, I was wrong. I do feel sad."

She finished wrapping my wounds in fresh bandages then sat down beside me, just like a mother would to a worried daughter. "Purin, what is bothering you?" Worry shone in her eyes, brighter than the dimness of her bedroom. I readjusted my position, trying to get more comfortable on the bed.

"It's about...Meta Knight," I admitted, feeling a blush sweep across my cheeks. "He seems very upset and stressed out but he won't tell me why. I'm really worried about him."

Evistio put the leftover bandages in the medicine cabinet, appearing worried herself. "Meta Knight is very concerned about you. He hasn't forgotten the time he nearly lost you. He really cared about you. More than his own life, he was willing to protect you from everything. During the war, when you were seriously injured and lost your memory, he was completely devastated. At that time, he loved you dearly but when you couldn't remember who he was, it tore him apart. Meta Knight was depressed for years. He thought that sending you away to live a new life would have been the best option. We found a planet that inhabited your own kind and dropped you off, hoping you would adapt. Sure enough, you did."

"Meta Knight...loved me?" I asked in disbelief. "It was his idea for me to live in a planet with other Pokemon?"

"That is correct. He still loves you today. He's afraid that he'll lose you again. With the possibility of war, it has been putting him on edge," Evistio continued to explain.

"That's why...he's so evasive. He's afraid...I had no idea he was suffering. I wish there was something I could do to help him," I whispered, feeling a couple tears drip onto my cheeks. "What should I do? I don't want him to be hurt. It's okay for him to be honest with me..."

Evistio smiled. "That is entirely up to you. Comforting him might be ideal. Maybe not. I know you will make the right choice. Proceed with caution and an open mind."

I nodded, getting off the bed. "Thank you for being there for me. I owe you one."

A small laugh followed. "No need to thank me. You should be thankful to yourself. You were willing to accept that something was troubling you. That takes a lot of courage to do."

"You're wise, Evistio. You've changed a lot since I met you the first time," I told her, smiling sincerely.

"So have you. You have matured greatly in the last one thousand years. Be proud of yourself," Evistio reminded me. I left the room, feeling much lighter inside, full of hope. Yet when I returned to my bedroom to find Meta Knight in the same uptight stance, I felt sad once again. But I knew I had to tell him I knew the truth.

"Meta Knight, I..." Before I could continue, his soft gloved hand found its way to my cheek. I almost fell off the bed in surprise.

"Purin, I understand. I heard everything," he replied, sounding a bit ashamed. "I should have told you myself rather than let you worry continuously."

"No, it's all right. You had a reason to be upset. I understand," I told him, inching closer his body. No matter how close we were, he never once looked in my direction. "You were evasive a couple times before. Do you really love me?"

I could have sworn I could a small gasp but I tried to convince myself I imagined it. "Purin, I...uh..." It seemed like he had to force himself to speak. I immediately felt uncomfortable. I was tempted to leave the room but I couldn't. Not after the talk I had with Evistio. "I am not sure I want to talk about that."

My heart sank at his response. Maybe he didn't love me after all. I wished I kept my mouth shut instead of bring up an awkward topic. My face was flooded with a humiliated blush. "I'm sorry Meta Knight!" I babbled out, retreating from the room in defeat. I hurried down the hall, sobbing endlessly. I absolutely hated myself. I allowed my curiosity to control my actions, my words, my feelings.

I hid in the piloting room, locking the door behind me. I didn't want anyone to talk to me. I rested against the windshield watching another planet pass us by. Travelling through space was amazing. If I didn't have to worry about the Tigachuri hunting us down, I would enjoy the trip much more. The fact I abandoned the Smash Tournament leaving everyone to worry about me and Meta Knight, I couldn't relax.

I dried the remainder of my tears, knowing if Evistio found out I was crying, there would be no end to her questions and concerns. The same applied with Meta Knight. I didn't want him to know I was upset either. My worries were mine only. I refused to drag them into my problems.

I eased my body into a comfortable chair and drifted off to sleep, mentally exhausted.

"Purin, wake up," a gentle voice whispered in my ear. I groaned, stretching out. For a moment, I forgot why I was in the piloting room but my confrontation with Meta Knight was soon recalled, my heart responding with a stagger of pain.

"W-Who's there?" I mumbled, rubbing my tired eyes.

"It's me, Evistio," the familiar, feminine voice responded. "We arrived at our home planet. We're here."

I blinked a few times, now able to clearly see my surroundings. "Are we really there? This isn't a dream, right?"

"No dream Purin. This is the same place you had lived a thousand years ago when you and Meta Knight escaped from Nightmare. The village, Celeisha," Evistio explained to me. It felt like I stepped into a dream as we proceeded through the forest. I found it impossible to belief my past self had walked through this same place.

The sky was filled with thousands of brightly shining stars. I found this place the most beautiful at night compared to the daylight hours. Despite the beauty that surrounded me, I soon noticed the absence of Meta Knight. "Evistio, where is Meta Knight?"

"He's already at your residence. I arranged a place next to my house where the two of you could stay together," Evistio told me. In a second, her expression changed from peaceful to outright distressed. "Purin, why are you upset?"

"Oh, I'm fine," I said, ignoring the concerned look on her face. "I'll settle in with Meta Knight then."

Evistio nodded in agreement. "In the morning, I'll show you two around the village. How does that sound?"

"Wonderful. I'd love to see the village. I don't remember most of it." Both of us waved to each other before parting ways for our houses. I was nervous to see Meta Knight again. I stood in front of the doorway for a few minutes, trying to calm down my breathing. Why was I hesitating so much? I swallowed my regrets, quietly pushing the door open to find Meta Knight sleeping and unaware of my presence.

I placed my belongings in the dresser, finding a comfortable position on my bed to sleep. I was fortunate Meta Knight was sleeping. It would have been torture had he been awake. I wasn't ready to apologize to him for my behaviour yet. Sleep was truly hopeless at the moment.

I stared at the dancing flame before my eyes, fixed completely on the radiant warm colours that gave off that welcoming heat. Not the heat I hated so much back in the Pokemon Universe. The kind that soothed me inside. That fire brought back good memories rather than remind me of ones the opposite. I stood up from my bed and took a seat on the couch placed in front of the fireplace. I undid a couple buttons of my new shawl, leaning back against the cushions. I was so grateful the Evistio allowed us to have our own fireplace in our room.

I knew for certain Meta Knight was sleeping. His unblinking eyes were a dull shade of amber. I never understood why he always he slept with his mask on. Personally, I wouldn't be able to stand that. I smiled at him nervously, standing up from the couch to pull the blanket back over his body which had been discarded when he was tossing and turning the previous hour. He held the blanket close as if he had been freezing. I put a hand gently on his arm, only to pull away in surprise at how cold it was. No wonder why he was shivering.

Feeling completely sorry for him, I lifted him in my arms and carried him over to the fireplace. Meta Knight was usually a light sleeper but this time, he didn't budge. I laid him on the couch and went back to his bed to retrieve his pink blanket and pillow. I wonder where he got the pink blanket. From a first glance, it appeared quite un-Meta Knight like but I've grown to love that.

Deciding to be daring for once, I snuggled up against his side, expecting his eyes to open immediately. They didn't. Instead, he wrapped the other half of the blanket around my body. I almost fell off the side, knowing that if Meta Knight was awake, he'd never do such a gesture. He swore to keep an appropriate distance. I attempted to kiss him once. And I was rejected. It was completely heartbreaking. But I understood why he didn't allow himself to express back the same romantic gestures from talking with Evistio. It's...so sad though. I wanted us to love equally, not for the relationship to remain one-sided. I'm not quite sure if I want attempt romantic contact with him again.

I was afraid of being heartbroken. Romance was so complicated. But I was willing to try again. I couldn't give up. Not when there was a possibility of war. I longed to tell him I loved him back. He wouldn't have to hesitate anymore if he understood our love was mutual on both sides.

I carefully lifted up his mask and still, he remained asleep. His face was beautiful, too adorable to be described in words. I found myself leaning in closer to his face, unable to find the will within to stop. I gave one of his cheeks a gentle stroke before I pressed my lips against his. As soon as our lips connected, his eyes brightened to a radiant white, indicating he was awake.


	104. Episode Eighty Four

**I am absolutely sorry this chapter was so late. I couldn't get this story to progress at all.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers. I only own my original characters and settings.**

* * *

**Chapter 104**

**Episode Eighty Four**

_Acceptance_

Time stood still for the longest moment. I could only be worried I crossed the line of privacy in my desires to have Meta Knight as my partner. I was startled by the sudden brightness of his eyes. Realizing he was completely awake and aware of what was going on, I pulled away from the moment and hurried back to my bed. I knew deep down my actions were cowardly but I couldn't even look back at Meta Knight. I was that ashamed of myself.

His glowing eyes followed my body. Taking notice of his blank stare, I pulled the covers over my whole body, shutting my eyes and hoping I was living a dream.

"Purin, calm down," came Meta Knight's surprisingly, soft tone. I emerged from my hiding spot, a guilty expression on my flushed scarlet face.

"Did...you see?" I stuttered out. It didn't help my nerves to see Meta Knight's unmasked face staring back at me. I wasn't sure if he was aware it or not. A confused glance answered my question but I couldn't help but stare into his eyes in surprise. It was the first time I saw emotion on his face. Used to seeing his emotions hidden behind his mask, I was taken aback.

"Purin, what is the matter?" he queried, still oblivious to the fact his mask was lying on the couch. A gentle breeze blew in through the window. A dreadful silence filled the room before Meta Knight turned his back on me, hurrying to retrieve his mask, his face equally as red as mine.

"Purin, explain to me," he began in a quiet voice. "As to why I woke up on the couch. Was that your intention?"

"Y-yes!" I squeaked out, taking cover under my blanket. "I'd understand if I made you angry. I'm sorry!"

I had no idea of what to expect. He made it apparent before he wanted nothing to do with me, romantically. I had no idea why. My lips still tingled from the kiss I planted on his own.

I looked up in surprise when he released his mask from his grasp and gave a defeated sigh. "I should have known this day would come. I held you back for a long time. I do love you," Meta Knight admitted. "I desire to be your partner. I was too afraid I would lose you again... and I..."

"I-I love you too," I stuttered out, my face overheating at his unexpected confession. His face leaned in closer.

"I should have done this long ago," he whispered, returning his lips to mine and continuing the kiss. I thought my heart would stop in shock at the fact he accepted my internalized desires and obliged to admit it straight out. I wrapped my arms around him, trying to hold him as tightly and closely as I could. His hands on my cheeks, I could only kiss him back and enjoy every second of it. The moment I have been waiting for was much worth it.

My vision was clouded with stars the moment we drew apart. I had not took one breath for a minute or two. Both of us were catching our breath, staring at each other longingly.

"M-Meta Knight, th-that was..." I was certain my shock could grow no further. But I was proved wrong when he withdrew a jewelled wristband, and held it out before my eyes.

* * *

Evistio didn't say anything for a moment. Perhaps she shared the same surprise Meta Knight and I did about our proposal. Finally, her mouth curved upwards into a heartwarming smile.

"I am delighted to hear the wonderful news," she began, excited herself. "But I suppose you two are not ready for a wedding yet."

My heart pounded at the word, 'wedding.' I gasped from the very impact of that word. A wedding meant Meta Knight and I would be partners; exactly as my heart desired. I couldn't help but be nervous about such a lifelong commitment. "I...think it's best if we wait. I'm not sure if I'm ready."

"I understand completely," Evistio replied, leading me and Meta Knight to the two chairs at the head of the long table. We were visiting her mansion. I couldn't imagine what life must be like as a Queen. "Some of my guests should be here soon. They want to meet both of you."

"Oh? They do?" I questioned the Queen, fiddling with the dangling tablecloth, its pink and gold fabric soft to the touch.

"We haven't spoken for quite a while so we arranged a time to get together. We decided to have a special dinner tomorrow night. I thought I'd invite you two. After all, you are very important to me." Evistio was constantly writing down notes as she spoke. "Have you two ever been to a formal occasion before?"

"Um...I haven't," I piped up, feeling awkward at my lack of experience.

"A couple times," came Meta Knight's calm and collected answer. He didn't seem nervous at all.

Evistio gave me a reassuring smile. "Do not look so sad Purin. I will show you what you must do before tomorrow night. I promise that when the time comes, you will be ready." She folded her piece of paper and handed it to one of her assistants who gave a nod and left the room. She was about to open her mouth when a beep rang out throughout the room.

"Evistio, don't worry! It's just my phone," I told her, digging it out of my shawl pockets. I opened the cover to see the call was traced back to the Smash Mansion. I gulped, putting the phone to my ear. "H-Hello? Who's there?"

"Jigglypuff, it's me, the Master Hand," his business-like tone replied. I remembered I left the Smash Universe without a warning. "Where are you? The others have claimed you have gone missing. You and Meta Knight."

"Missing? No, we're not," I denied to the disembodied hand. "We're fine."

"Do you understand the worry you both are putting us through? All of us want to know where the two of you are!" I never thought he could sound more stressed out than ever before. I couldn't tell him anything. I couldn't say I was living with a species said to have gone extinct a thousand years ago.

"T-There's been a crisis back home. I had to leave immediately. Meta Knight agreed to accompany me. It won't be long." From the corner of my eye, I saw Meta Knight staring at me intensely, as if knowing I was lying to the Master Hand.

"Were you two aware of the consequences when you deserted the tournament. If you are not back in the Universe soon, I will have no choice but to delete you from the ranks," the Master Hand warned. "Abandoning the Universe without notice is strictly forbidden. I am sure you would have known, being a respective Smash Veteran."

"This. Was. An. Emergency!" I said in between gasps of distress. "I was told to keep it confidential. I told you we'll be back. Now it's your turn to trust us."

"Jigglypuff, this is unbelievable," the Master Hand breathed out. I had stepped outside the dining room and leaned against the hallway wall to continue without anyone else in hearing range.

"Master Hand, there has been a crisis back home. I was told not to speak a word of it," I said, knowing it was only half of the truth. "Also, I'm engaged. I just can't leave now."

"Engaged!" the anger in his voice thundered into my ear. I winced, trying to find words to calm him down.

"Please, understand," I pleaded. "I just can't leave when I have to help protect my homeland and be with my love."

"The Pokemon Universe is not in any kind of crisis," the Master Hand stated. "Therefore, you are telling me a lie."

"This isn't a lie!" I choked out. "I doubt you'd understand!" I turned off the phone, wiping the tears that fell from my eyes. I couldn't tell the Master Hand my true homeland could be in a war of death and destruction. He'd never understand. He doesn't know the real me at all. I collected myself and returned to the room with a fake smile plastered on my face.

"Purin, who were you talking with?" Evistio asked, seeing through my forged smile.

"Don't worry about it," I replied, tucking away my phone. "I'm fine. Tell me what I must do for the special occasion tomorrow."


	105. Episode Eighty Five

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers. I only own my original characters and settings.**

* * *

**Chapter 105**

**Episode Eighty Five**

_Living a Lie_

It was a surprise Evistio would allow us to live here. I knew she thought of Meta Knight and I as special friends but this was unexpected. My room was much more spacious than the one back at home and the Smash Mansion put together. Velvet curtains enveloped the darkness outside the stain glass window. The same material wrapped around my bed.

One day in this mansion and already I got lost countless times. But that was the least of my worries right now. My outfit was the problem.

I tugged tightly onto the zipper but attempt after attempt, it wouldn't budge. I sighed with aggravation, deciding to put that off until later. I found my ribbon and tucked it behind my left ear. Putting on the accessories was the easy part. The dress was pure torture. The zipper wouldn't move up at all. I glanced desperately at the clock to see the dinner party would be starting in five minutes. I tugged on the zipper again.

"Purin, are you ready?" came the voice of my love. "Evistio is very concerned."

I let go of the zipper in defeat. "I'm sorry to worry you. I really am. I need some help with my dress."

Meta Knight's soft gloved hand carefully pulled the zipper up all the way without what seemed like no effort. All the fuss and desperation over something so simple. He took my hand in his. "Shall we, my love?"

"Y-yes," I stuttered, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. He never held my hand before. It felt so amazing. I soon noticed how handsome Meta Knight looked in his formal attire. I looked away before he could see the blush that crept onto my face.

Meta Knight knew how often I got lost in this place already. I felt secure with his hand in mine. I could never get lost with him at my side. I rested against his shoulder, sighing in content the whole way down the hallway and the long descending spiral staircase.

The dining hall was decorated from top to bottom for the special occasion. Vases of flowers were placed tastefully on the table, a festive tablecloth replacing the white laced one that had been there yesterday. The light from the chandelier gave a welcoming glow to the spacious room, filled with Evistio's visitors, also part of the Schevarnos tribe with each sharing some characteristic feature of the insect. I never understood how they could float continuously all the time with the absence of legs.

"Welcome Meta Knight and Purin," Evistio greeted, motioning for us to come in. I pushed my nerves aside and stepped forward.

I reminded myself Meta Knight was beside me; therefore, I was not alone. Meta Knight lead me to the seats at the front of the table. He made sure to pull my chair out for me. My fading blush returned to its bright hue. I could hear Meta Knight quietly laugh in his seat. I scowled, averting my gaze in the opposite direction.

It didn't cheer me up to see a couple forks, spoons and glasses at my place. Evistio showed me when to use each utensil but it was still unnerving to do in the presence of fifty guests who were in my opinion, complete strangers.

When it came down to the eating part of the occasion, I copied what Meta Knight was doing, unsure of my own judgement and recollection of Evistio's lessons.

"So, I've heard these are your friends," one of the old women spoke up. I peeked at her from the corner of my eye.

Evistio smiled. "Yes. The same couple I told you that engaged to each other yesterday."

The word, 'engaged,' made my heart thunder. I knew I agreed to marry Meta Knight but the word made the realization much more shocking. I was reminded the wedding was the following week. I would have ate faster to calm my nerves but because we were in the presence of guests, I had to continue to eat slowly, in the same polite and etiquette manner. It was maddening.

"I wonder what their children will look like. Cute probably," the same woman spoke up.

"I agree," Evistio said, taking another sip of her drink.

I happened to be swallowing a mouthful when I heard the last part of their conversation. The thought of having children made me choke on my own drink. Everyone turned in my direction much to my humiliation.

"Purin, are you all right?" came Evistio's worried voice. I nodded, my coughs ceasing.

"I-I'm fine," I gasped. The entire time, Meta Knight was staring at me much to my discomfort.

"Purin," he whispered quietly. "Could I speak to you for a moment?"

I reluctantly sat up from my chair, following Meta Knight out of the dining hall, feeling several pairs of eyes watching my every move in the process. I shut the door, sighing in relief before reverting back to my worried state. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Meta Knight stayed quiet for the longest moment. "Purin, it is not only me who has noticed your strange behaviour. Evistio has been worried about you. She believes the phone call you received yesterday is the cause of the stress."

"You want to nag me about that too?" I asked in detest. I know deep down I sounded rude but I couldn't help but be annoyed of why they'd be so curious.

He continued, seeming to ignore my unwelcome tone. "I am worried about you. Why do you insist on keeping this incident a secret? I could hear you shouting yesterday when you speaking on the phone."

"It's my business. I'm fine now," I insisted. "Maybe I was worried about tonight. I've never been to a formal dinner party before. I was on edge most of the day."

"...If you say so," came his reply, before turning around and opening the door.

We both continued to eat the rest of the meal without saying a word to each other. It was obvious to me that Meta Knight didn't quite trust my words. It's almost useless to lie to him but I had no choice. If he found out about the truth... He had no idea I left the Smash Universe without giving any notification. No one spoke to us much to my relief. I wasn't in a very talkative mood.

The empty dishes were soon cleared off the table and sent back to the kitchen. It wasn't until I saw a multi-coloured disco ball descend and the guests move the tables aside did I realize they were preparing for a dance. I wanted nothing to do with that and took the opportunity to slip out of the room without being detected.

It was to my fortune I remembered the way back to my bedroom; otherwise, I'd be lost rather quickly. I quietly closed the door and locked it before landing on my comfortable bed, drawing the curtains around it for privacy. For the first time today, I felt myself relax physically and mentally. When I opened my eyes, I found a portrait staring back at me. Those eyes...looked so familiar. Those same oval shaped, dark brown eyes, the same peacock wings... The image itself I recognized as someone I met before in the past but I just couldn't recall the name.

For a few minutes, I simply laid down, wanting to forget the stress that surrounded me, especially with abandoning the Smash Universe. Before I knew of my identity, I had him worried enough. I can't imagine how angry he'd feel towards me. The phone call certainly didn't help anything.

I knew I had to apologize to him for being so rude and an outright liar. My conscious was flooded with guilt from my behaviour yesterday. Reluctantly, I reached into my pocket to dig out my phone but...it was empty!

Panicking, I searched through all the drawers of my dresser and vanity and in my bag and it didn't turn up in either one. Where was my phone? What if it fell into the wrong hands? How could I have been so careless to lose my phone?

Relaxing was too much of a task now. With my phone missing, I couldn't sit still. I had to find it! My conversation with the Master Hand was possibly saved to the phone memory and could be traced if someone else found it.

In a panic, I hurried out the bedroom door, forgetting to shut it quietly and froze when the pupiless eyes of Meta Knight stared at me in some form of shock. I gulped when I glanced at his hand and found my phone tightly held in his grasp.


	106. Episode Eighty Six

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers. I only own my original characters and settings.**

* * *

**Chapter 106**

**Episode Eighty Six**

_Crossed Paths_

"T-That's my phone? Why do you have it?" I blurted out, fearing his response. If my call had been accidentally recorded by mistake, he would have heard everything I said to the Master Hand. His eyes peered at me in what seemed like disappointment. Immediately, my heart sunk at the expression in his eyes. I knew I was in for it. All because of a lie.

"You dropped it in the hallway. You should be more careful. Be grateful I found it," was all he spoke, pausing for a moment before continuing. "Purin, you are aware I heard your phone call?"

The urge to retreat back to my room had never been greater. "I-I had a feeling you knew." The temptation grew at an expanded rate when he sighed in disapproval.

"Purin, I am disappointed in you. I would have thought you would have been honest about the phone call. You never mentioned you were speaking with the Master Hand. That would explain your behaviour lately." He put a hand on her trembling shoulder, his voice softer as if sensing my fear. "Why did you lie to me?"

"I-I don't know. I don't understand anything anymore!" I burst out, clutching onto Meta Knight tightly. "I didn't want to lie to you. I was too scared!"

He wrapped an arm around my shaking body. "Purin, I understand. When I overheard your conversation with the Master Hand, your fear and confusion were very distinct. The Master Hand and the others back at the tournament will always be worried for us. That is a good reason to be worried yourself."

"But Meta Knight, do you think we should let the others know about this? It's not right to keep this a secret from them any longer." I soon realized the truth in my words. As long as our predicament was kept a secret, the others would be left in dark, unaware of our circumstances.

He released me from his grasp. "Though I would prefer it to stay a secret, it seems our options are limited at this point. Eventually, we will have to tell them the truth. It is unavoidable," agreed a reluctant and hesitant Meta Knight. "If we do decide to tell them, you should apologize to the Master Hand. Your behaviour on the phone was appalling. Unlike the Purin I know."

I wanted to sink through the floor at the reminder. "I know I should apologize to the Master Hand. After all, he was worried about us. But it won't be easy."

"I never said it would be. This is something you must do yourself. The Master Hand believes you are hiding in the Pokemon Universe, lying that is in some form of crisis. I can understand why he would be worried. Your lie gave the impression we left for the reason to be engaged. I can understand why the Master Hand would be angry. You are apologizing regardless if you are sorry or not." I gulped, knowing Meta Knight was very strict about his decision. Apologizing would be the best choice, my stomach aching from guilt a reminder that I _was_ sorry for the way I acted.

"I'll do it," I told Meta Knight who nodded in approval.

"I can see it in your eyes you are sorry," he replied, his eyes brightening as he spoke. I could only guess he was smiling behind his mask. I wanted to see it for myself and actually know what he was feeling. I could hear Meta Knight softly laugh. I turned around to see he had his mask lifted halfway up. A smile _was _there.

"But...how did you know-"

"Your eyes are easy to read," he answered, the smile growing. It was rare to see such a beautiful genuine smile. The small stars in his pure white eyes seemed to twinkle softly at me. I felt a hot blush spread across my face. I leaned closer to his attractive face, my lips only an inch away from his, Meta Knight reciprocating the inviting gesture.

"Excuse me," came a familiar voice. I quickly pulled away from Meta Knight, the moment ruined. Evistio glanced at both of us, an eyebrow raised. "Was I interrupting something?"

"No," I protested. "Not at all."

"If you say so. I was only curious why you two suddenly left the party," Evistio said, a knowing look on her face.

My blush deepened. "I needed some time alone with Meta Knight!"

Evistio laughed softly. "Time alone with Meta Knight? I should have known. Of course! I'll let you two talk then, by yourselves. I'll let my guests know you'll be gone for a while."

I buried my burning, scarlet face against Meta Knight's shoulder to hide my blush once the two of us were completely by ourselves again. He carefully lifted me in his arms. I forgot we were still in the hallway. Knowing, Meta Knight brought me back to my bedroom, placing me on the soft bed, taking a seat beside me.

"Now we are truly by ourselves. The hallway was not the most reliable place to be alone." I couldn't look away as Meta Knight took his mask off, placing it on the end table. He laid down beside me, an arm sliding around my shoulder. My heart raced in a wild, out of control stutter. He pressed his lips to mine, taking me by surprise. I held onto his body tightly as I would a soft pillow and returned the affectionate kiss.

I gasped when I saw my phone fall down to the ground. I reached over to pick it up but it was nowhere to be found. Meta Knight sat up, a confused expression on his face. "I'm sorry," I blurted out. "My phone just dropped onto the floor and it's gone! I can't find it anywhere!"

Meta Knight helped me search for the phone but it wasn't anywhere to be found. I even looked underneath the bed and no sign of it still. Where could it have disappeared to?

"What am I going to do? My phone could be anywhere!" I moaned in despair. "If someone else has it, it's the end!"

"Purin, calm down. If someone took it, we would have seen them. Only we are the room. I am sure it is here somewhere," assured Meta Knight but my heart was still beating fast.

"I think we should tell Evistio about this!" I said, taking a quick look at the clock. "The party should be ending now. If I'm going to apologize to the Master Hand and tell him the truth, we'll need another phone!"

As I predicted, the party was ending. The last of the guests were leaving the dining hall, leaving Evistio by herself. This was the perfect chance. "Evistio! We need your help!"

"Purin, are you all right? You're a little on the pale side," Evistio noted but I ignored her statement.

"We need a phone! I lost mine and can't find it!" I told her.

"You mean this?" she said, handing me a shiny pink phone. "I found it on the ground here. Is it yours?"

My face brightened. "Yes, that's it! That's my phone. Thank you so much!" I opened my phone to re-dial the Smash Mansion phone number but it rang before I could press a button. I put it to my ear. "Hello? Who's there?"

"My, so this is the Purin I've heard so much about... Perfect," the deep voice spoke into the phone.

"Who are you?" I asked, the stranger laughing in response.

"It matters not. Bihla told me everything that was going on. She overheard your little spat on the phone and told me all about it. Everything. My, you were certainly upset! I'm still surprised you're alive after my little pet gave you a scare in the Smash Universe. I'm sure you were acquainted with Vratzha..."

"That's right. I know the jerk! He wanted to kill me. Your monster tried to kill Meta Knight! So that's what happened!" I hissed into the phone. "Just who are you? I demand to know!"

"Wait and see. All in due time, you will know. But this is a warning Purin. You and your wretched friends, the Schevarnos must surrender to the rule of the Tigachuri within three days. If you shall refuse us, we will declare war on your polluted tribe. The choice is yours. Until then, farewell..."

I dropped the phone, collapsing on the ground. Meta Knight caught me immediately, a worried expression on his still maskless face. "Purin, please hand over the phone."

I obeyed him and gave him the phone. His expression displayed that of shock and anger. "There is no other choice," he whispered, eyes a scarlet red. "We must tell the Master Hand and everyone else the truth. There is no time left to spare. Evistio, take Purin up to her room. I will explain the situation to the Master Hand."


	107. Episode Eighty Seven

**A little bit late but I hope you enjoy reading it. Only a few more chapters left.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Smash Brothers. I only own my original characters and settings.**

* * *

**Chapter 107**

**Episode Eighty Seven**

_Unsettling Dispute _

The wait was dreadfully long. I obeyed Meta Knight and waited upstairs in my room with Evistio. It felt impossible to wait, knowing Meta Knight was telling the whole truth to the Master Hand, who I previously told off not too long ago for being concerned for my well being. My regrets had never been worse. I should have told the Master Hand the truth myself. But none of that matters now. He's being told the truth regardless of my actions which in comparison is better than living the same lie time and time again.

I paced around the room, finding myself unable to stay still. How could I when the Tigachuri threatened us to a war? We only had three days to make our decision. Three days until the day of decision. The horrid Tigachuri planned this out on purpose to toy with us. The very thought was irritating.

I gasped, a horrifying thought suddenly playing itself through my mind. If Meta Knight was being truly honest to the Master Hand, he'd definitely know of the Tigachuri threatening us with war. What if...the Smashers think they can help us win? I can't let them get hurt. This war isn't and shouldn't be their problem.

Evistio was at my side in an instant. I feared my facial expression was easy to read. One of fear and dread. "Purin, is something the matter?"

"What do we do?" I asked her, sitting down on the ground, burying my face in my hands. "We only have three days to surrender! And Meta Knight's probably telling the Master Hand about the war. What if they get involved?"

Evistio held me tightly as though I were her child. "Purin, please calm down. We still have three days. That is enough time for us to resolve this predicament. We survived once before. We'll survive again this time."

"S-Survive? You're not going to surrender?" I whispered in disbelief. Evistio smiled and gave a nod.

"That's right. To the very end, I will stand up for my people and fight. I believed that one thousand years ago. I still believe in it today," Evistio replied, expression unchanging at my shocked reaction. "And not to worry, a lot has changed since then. We'll be ready and we will win the war."

"Are you sure about that? We're dealing with the Tigachuri, the same race that nearly killed me a thousand years ago. The same race that nearly wiped Schevarnos existence a thousand years ago. How do you know we'll stand a chance this time?" I hated to doubt Evistio but I couldn't help but feel her hopes were a dream. As I hate to admit it, I knew everyone else was at a greater risk this time. I hoped strongly the Smashers would stay put and continue the tournament.

Besides, if I was hurt so badly the last time, what use would I be during the war? I couldn't fight. If so, I've forgotten how. I frowned at the reminder. _Useful, _indeed.

"Purin, we've grown stronger since then. Should the worse happen, I have a back plan. Nothing to worry about. It will end the war instantaneously," Evistio said in reassurance. I narrowed my eyes at that new hope. Something about that plan seemed too good to be true.

"Are you sure about that? The Tigachuri mean business this time," I reminded the unfazed Queen. She smiled, carrying me back to my bed.

"You worry too much Purin," she said with a giggle. My expression was one of confusion. Why was she suddenly so _happy_? There was absolutely nothing to be positive about! She sighed from content. "Purin, you haven't changed at all in one thousand years. You're still your old self. That's good to see."

"Uh, that's good then," I said, confused by her change of mood. What was Evistio hiding from me? I didn't give it another thought. If she was set on keeping it secret, nothing I could say _would _convince her. "Some things never change, right?"

Evistio nodded, a trace of sadness in her eyes. At that moment, I heard the bedroom door open. I instantly jumped off the bed and hurried over to see Meta Knight return, handing me back my phone. I gladly took it back.

"What did the Master Hand say?" I asked, dreading the worst.

"He...was greatly worried for us," Meta Knight replied, his tone unusually quiet. "The Master Hand and the others informed me they would be departing from the Smash Universe immediately and put the tournament on hold."

I sank to the ground, having absolutely no control over my balance. "N-no, don't tell me they're _coming_ here! They can't! I won't risk their lives to win this war! Tell me them to turn back immediately."

Meta Knight put a hand on my shoulder. "Purin, I understand how the threat of war has been troubling you but we cannot win this fight alone. I will not risk leaving you unprotected again. Not after I nearly lost you."

I clung onto Meta Knight tightly, crying against his shoulder. "It's not fair! Why should they have to risk their lives for us? I can't and won't allow that." I began to dial the Smash Mansion phone number when Meta Knight snatched it from my hand. I glared at Meta Knight, eyes narrowing in rage. "Give me back my phone now!"

"I cannot do that. You are not thinking clearly. Therefore, I will not be returning your phone until you calm down." I took hold of Meta Knight and shook him hard. I couldn't control myself at all. I could only feel rage boil up within me.

"Give me phone back!" I shrieked at him. "I will not put the Smashers lives in danger! Maybe you'll accept their decision because you're heartless. I happen to care for them, even if you don't!" My cries turned into sobs as I tried to take my phone back from his grasp. With his free hand, he seized my shoulder and gave it a swift push. Completely in shock, I couldn't find my balance in time. I stumbled backwards a couple steps, seething in hatred.

Meta Knight stared at me for a long moment before turning his back on me and left the room, without a word. The door slammed shut, leaving the room silence until my tears replaced my anger. I lay on the ground, shaking and crying. Evistio picked me up from the ground and set me on the bed. The tears wouldn't stop and continued to flow from my eyes like waterfalls.

"Purin, you must calm yourself," she spoke to me in a gentle voice. "I know how much this is hurting you but you must listen to Meta Knight. He knows what's best."

"N-n-no he doesn't! He d-doesn't care wh-what happens to the others," I sobbed, pounding the pillow with my fists.

Evistio sighed and arose from the bed. "Take your time to calm down and think it all over Purin. Meta Knight didn't tell them to come. I'm sure he cares just as much as you do. Think about it carefully and let me know when you've settled down."

It seemed like ages before my tears stopped. I began to wipe my eyes with my hands when another one gently stroked my cheek. I was shocked to see that Meta Knight has returned. I thought he'd be angry at me. His eyes were a pale grey as he obliged to lay down next to me, an arm wrapped around my body.

"M-Meta Knight, I'm..."

He put a hand on my lips. "You do not need to say anything. I know, Purin..." I hugged him tightly, my tears flowing all over again.

"I was so mean to you! I should have known better than to snap at you like that. I-I'm such a horrible monster, aren't I?" I asked him with watery eyes.

"Absolutely not," he said in astonishment. "I-I know this is hard on you. I was never angry." He handed me back my phone. As soon as the phone returned to my hand, I realized Meta Knight was close to tears himself. The guilt of hurting him had never been stronger. He loved me for a thousand years and I repaid him with hostility. I put the phone aside and pulled up Meta Knight's mask, his eyes widening in shock. We were an inch apart when Evistio cleared her throat.

"It is nice to see you two made up to each other. But since we are expecting visitors tomorrow, would you two assist me in cleaning up the place?" I gave a nod and hurried past her before she could see the blush that swept across my face, Meta Knight at my side the entire time, mask back into its original position.

Yet as I left the room with Meta Knight, I could feel a shiver travel through my circular form. I turned back to see my phone glowing a mysterious red hue. I blinked in surprise, only to see it back to normal a second later. I followed Meta Knight out of the room in an instant without looking back. Perhaps I was better off not knowing.

As soon as I shut the door behind me, I heard a soft laugh ring out through the hallway. I bit my lip out of nerves, trying to find out which direction Meta Knight and Evistio had gone. When I turned around the corner, I found myself sprawled out on the floor. Meta Knight extended his hand out. I accepted the gesture, allowing him to pull me back up.

"Purin, is something the matter?" he questioned me. Another laugh filled the silent hallway.

"D-Don't you hear it too? That laugh..." I began to explain when a voice cut me off.

"_If you truly value your life, you will not say a word of this. Purin, chose carefully. You only get one chance at life. Think carefully. It would be a pity if your life should end this early..."_

"Nevermind Meta Knight. Let's get going before Evistio starts getting worried," I quickly said, taking hold of his hand and leading him downstairs.

"_A wise decision Purin. A wise choice..."_


	108. Episode Eighty Eight

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to SSBB.

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**Chapter 108**

**Episode Eighty Eight**

_The Missing Piece_

My eyes opened, awakening from my deep sleep as a loud clatter could be heard from downstairs. Most likely the Smashers hurrying to get their breakfast. They arrived the day before and all looked like complete strangers at first, not used to their presence again. I never would have imagined we'd be together in a strange, foreign planet, oblivious to my true identity all those years.

But instead of complaining that my sleep had been interrupted, I found a smile make its way on my face. In some ways, life felt as though it was back to normal when my eyes were closed and pictured myself back at the Smash Mansion, wondering what chaos would ensue in the cafeteria and who was brawling in the stadium.

"_Good times," _I thought to myself, relishing in the happy memories. _"Normal times. Happy times."_

Then the reminder of their arrival washed away the happiness of my memories. The Smashers were here to help us win the war. None of us were safe anymore. We could all die fighting against the Tigachuri. Only one day remained before we would have to answer to the tribe's ultimatum. Evistio reminded me she had a plan to deal with the tribe and quickly wipe them out but I couldn't help but wonder if that was a lie in itself to inspire false courage and strength within me.

Meta Knight was standing by the door, his intense gaze meeting mine. We stared at each other for a long moment before he spoke up. "Have you seen Evistio this morning?" His voice was full of worry with a harsh edge to it. The strange tone unsettled my stomach.

"No, I haven't. Why?" I asked, hurrying over to Meta Knight's side.

"No one has seen her at all today. So I can only fear the worst may have happened," he replied, turning around and progressing down the empty hallway. I quickly followed him without hesitation.

"Do you think she's _gone?_" I said in a fearful whisper. "Without her, we have no leader. And her plan can't work if she's not here! We can't give an answer to the Tigachuri without her!"

He nodded in agreement. "It is a possibility she may have disappeared. It does not seem within reason for her to do so without telling us her whereabouts."

"_If you value your life, you will heed my words. If you don't, we'll have no choice but to kill her. Such a pity, a strong hearted Queen to die by my hands." _A soft chuckle echoed through my mind, those creepy words repeating a couple times before I gasped in surprise. Meta Knight stopped in his tracks.

"Purin, is something wrong?"

"_No, Vratzha, you wouldn't do this to me! I can't leave my people, the last of the Schevarnos tribe to die at your hands. We only want peace. We don't want to fight you! Please! Listen to me..." _That voice sounded like Evistio's. My heart pounded at that. Could something have happened to her?

"_Evistio, you pitiful little insect. I must say, you are a determined one of your kind. Living on for a thousand years and through a treacherous war. But you will not survive this one, my dearest creation. You thought you could escape our glorious tribe and actually lead the Schevarnos by yourself? Think again. We've been watching through your eyes the entire time throughout your reign as Queen. We know what you are planning. A plan to wipe us out? You always were a dreamer. How much longer will your dreams keep you alive, I wonder..."_

"Evistio! Why didn't you tell us?" I shouted, eyes wide in shock. "Why didn't you say anything? The Schevarnos need you! You're their Queen. He-he's lying to you."

"Purin!" the desperate voice, shouting close to my ear. I jumped, startled at the volume and tried to hurry away from its owner but he grabbed me by the wrist, his eyes wide with distraught.

"Go away! I won't let you hurt Evistio!" I snapped, striking out at the rounded shadow before my eyes. "You'll have to get through me first!"

"_That's right, my dear Purin. Defend your righteous Queen. How loyal of you to stick up for that traitor. Evistio was our failed creation before she was on your side. Remember that, foolish girl. Make one wrong move and you may lose your memory again." _I turned in the direction of the taunting voice.

"I'll kill you if I have to. Leave Evistio alone or you will suffer! Remember that!" I aimed a swift punch in the direction of the voice but the shadow disappeared, my hand slamming into the hard wall at full force. I stood still in shock, unable to move my sore hand which was twisted at a slightly different angle. I seethed in anger about to try attacking again when a gloved hand held my arm back.

"_Purin, why aren't you attacking me? I thought you could do better than that. Time has certainly changed you, hasn't it? Though you are still as stubborn as ever. Faults are to be dealt with by punishment. Come forth Purin and accept the consequences. You and Evistio are both destined for death. Do not try to escape it. It's useless to resist."_

"No, it's not! I'll keep fighting you until I die if I have to. You don't scare me!" I hissed at the demonic figure who faded away again. I blinked in confusion and looked in every direction, surprised to see myself back in the hallway of Evistio's mansion. Two wide eyed pupils stared at me in shock, Meta Knight keeping a certain distance away from me.

"Purin!" he whispered in astonishment. I lowered my head in shame. Was I talking to myself the whole time and imagining the voices in my head? I looked down at my injured hand and grimaced from the pain. I could barely move it.

"Meta Knight, I'm sorry." All I could do was apologize. Apologizing was all just words to express regret, wasn't it? Words couldn't reverse what I had done. I ran off in the opposite direction, too ashamed to face Meta Knight and not brave enough to see the others either. I just wanted to be alone and find out the truth for myself.

"_Evistio, I promise I'll save you... I don't care how many of the Tigachuri jerks there are. I will do what I can to save your life. You mean so much to me. I couldn't ask for a better friend and Queen. Until then, please be all right."_

I was completely lost, wondering down vacant, abandoned hallways, left alone for many years. Dust clung to every possible surface, dirt cluttering the floor. I didn't feel scared though. I could feel a warm and bubbling confidence inside my heart. It felt as though my conscience was guiding me through this vacant place.

A rusty door was barely standing, half open. Intrigued, I took a small peek into the darkness and felt around for a light switch. I found one after a moment of searching. Varieties of armour and weapons lay on broken and dusty shelves, the small window nearly opaque with years of accumulating filth. Why had my conscience led me here to this haunted room?

"_I said I would protect Evistio. That's exactly what I'll do, even if it costs my memory and my life itself." _With that in mind, I searched through the weapons, careful with the sharp edges on each. I finally settled on a medium sized sword with features of a bow on its upper handle. It felt as though it was made for _me._ Holding it felt familiar somehow. I closed my eyes, trying to remember.

"_Purin, you are indeed the wielder of the Cratias. Well done," Mayschai said to me, a proud smile on her face. She handed me the half sword, half bow, a special twinkle in her eyes. "Very few people have been known to use the Cratias. You should be very proud of yourself. You are an accomplished fighter."_

"_I am?" I asked, jaw dropping in amazement._

"_You're definitely promising, my dear. Your fighting ability is very valuable. Very few possess the same promise as you. That is why I have no hesitance in saying you're the successor of the Cratias. Hold that weapon in honour, my Purin, and continue to fight on our side." She sighed contentedly. "It's been a year since we met, hasn't it? I never thought I'd meet a successor so soon. There's only been one other that could wield the Cratias, I believe. Your friend Evistio is talented at fighting herself."_

"_I know she is," I replied, nodding in agreement. "We work well together. "Of all the places me and Meta Knight could have landed, I'm glad it was here."_

_Mayschai laughed softly. "How nice of you to say that! You deserve a break now, my dear. It's been a long day, hasn't it? Using the power of Cratias was not an easy task. Go and take a well deserved rest."_

_I bowed in respect. "Of course. Thank you so much."_

I opened my eyes, staring at the weapon in my hand in shock. The Cratias... Was that what this was called? And I was its wielder? I gripped it tightly. Mayschai cared about Evistio so much as though she was a blood relative. I had to find her and rescue her from the Tigachuri before she was killed. And I had to do this on my own. This was my battle.

I took one last look at the storage room before closing the door behind me, making sure to be gentle in the process. I felt at peace inside as I hurried down the hallway in hope to find some kind of exit. Another door awaited me. Without hesitance, I pushed it open, relieved to see the sunshine shining through. I heard rapid footsteps echo through the hall. I looked over my shoulder, gasping when I saw Meta Knight's shadow. I slammed the door shut and sped off towards the forest, trying not to trip over any of the natural wildlife.

The village became distant in the background, mostly blocked by the clusters of tree and bush. I recognized this place so well. It was the same forest where I met Evistio. We had taken shelter here when it was storming outside. The Tigachuri had been pursuing us back then too. But now I was stronger. I was ready to take out the Tigachuri with my own hands.

I walked over to the small shelter, placing a hand its aged structure, smiling in remembrance. Had one thousand years really passed since I last set foot in this place? It seemed too unreal to be true. Evistio was just a young girl back then. And I was a naive puffball who was too young to understand what was going on around me.

The further I progressed through the forest, my head ached in pain as if a warning. I pushed it aside, expecting there to be danger ahead. I was going to invade the Tigachuri territory. There was no turning back. If I had to sacrifice my life to save Evistio, I would have no remorse in doing so.

I nearly lost my life the last time I fought against the Tigachuri. But life was nothing if my friends died because I was too much of a coward to fight for the better. The Smashers wouldn't need to get involved. None of them knew where I was. Except Meta Knight. I could have sworn that he was following me the whole time I was downstairs. I just couldn't bring myself to tell him my plan.

His heart was nearly broken when I nearly died the first time. I couldn't help but feel so... guilty about my plan. I wanted to live through this pain and marry him but the Tigachuri would surely destroy everything if I stayed with the others.

"M-Meta Knight, I'm sorry. Please have it in your heart to forgive me," I sobbed before turning away from the shelter and leaving all I knew behind me.


	109. Episode Eighty Nine

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to SSBB.

* * *

**Chapter 109**

**Episode Eighty Nine**

_Mortal Peril_

I rested against a tall, sturdy tree, my feet tired from hurrying through the forest for a couple hours straight. No matter where I looked, the Tigachuri were nowhere to be found. I took one look behind me, a strike of panic twisting my stomach. I was lost. I had no idea where I was. I never explored this area of the planet before. No one knew where I was and couldn't find me even if they wanted to. Was this the true definition of being alone?

_It's not. I'm outright helpless. Why did I wander off like this on my own? I'm a fool!_

I held back a sob and stood up from the ground, looking ahead. There was no use feeling sorry for myself. I had to concentrate on what must be done; saving Evistio, the same girl who was a dear friend to both me and Meta Knight. It didn't matter to me if Evistio was truly a creation made by the hands of the Tigachuri. She didn't let her fate control her and neither did I let mine do the same. We always looked out for each other. That wasn't about to change.

Taking one last look at the beautiful, serene scenery, I hurried on ahead, hoping to find some clue of the enemy's whereabouts. Where would the Tigachuri hide? A possible solution struck my mind, taking me by surprise. If it was true I could hear their voices in my mind, I could use this to my advantage. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the same voices I heard earlier on this morning.

"_Evistio, your pitiful life will end soon. Do you have any regrets? I'm afraid your little plan will not work after all. How does it feel to leave your species unprotected, waiting for their demise? Answer my question honestly."_

"_I may not be there as their Queen but my people have strong hearts. They don't need me there to fight back. If you try anything, it may be your last move Vratzha. I'd be careful," _Evistio warned, her voice dark and serious, a tone I never heard in her voice before. I shuddered. _"This demise you speak of will never happen. As long as we still breathe, live and walk on the grounds of this planet, it shall never be surrendered to you."_

"_Stubborn failure. I created you to be a loyal minion to our side. What gave you the idea to rule the Schevarnos? Did you really think it would be that easy to turn against your creator? I think not. Your mistakes will never be forgiven. The only life left for you is death. I could kill you this very minute. I made you with my own hands. I know your weaknesses. I know how your mind works. There is no escape. Don't even try to resist. It will be the last thing you ever do."_

I found my body moving on its own while continuing to listen to the voices speak in my mind. I felt a strong connection, as if I knew where their location was. For the first time, I was grateful Vratzha made the connection between us. I gripped the Cratias tightly as I made my way through the darkening forest, the sun disappearing under the depths of crowded trees rising high into the sky close together.

"Evistio, I'm on my way. I swear upon my life I will rescue you. Please don't worry. Everything will be all right. I don't care if I have to die in order to restore peace to this planet." Despite my determined words, I was on the verge of tears when my eyes met the glowing engagement wristband. Meta Knight had every right to hate my guts and not regret doing so. We promised to be married and live a happy life together. Maybe that dream was just an illusion. With the Tigachuri plotting the death of the planet, I had no time to waste. My quick pace slowed down when I found I came to a dead end. I inwardly cursed, my long journey here completely for nothing. To make it worse, I couldn't see where I was going anymore, the darkness hindering my vision as I continued to carefully proceed forward.

"_Purin, please...help me," _a weakened voice called out. I looked around in panic.

"Who are you? Show yourself," I demanded.

"_Over here, my Purin. Over here," _the voice replied.

I walked in the direction of the voice, still in doubt its owner was on my side or not. I opened my mouth to call out to the mysterious voice but my footing was suddenly lost as I felt myself falling down into an abyss. I wanted to scream but I found my voice unable to do so. I glared at the darkness in hatred. This was a trap. It had to be. What other explanation could describe the situation?

My body made rough and harsh contact with the ground, the wind knocked out of me. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a dimly lit underground cave. I lifted my body off the ground, dusting off any dirt that stuck to my skin. I quickly checked to see if I had any injuries. None marked my skin, the worst being a few scraps. I sighed in relief, taking hold of the Cratias once again. I was ready to fight the Tigachuri. No more doubt clouded my determination. I knew in my heart my decision was for the best.

"_Soon, it will all be over. All life opposing our very existence will perish tomorrow. It matters not if you surrender to us. Resistance will be met with death. Which is more painful, my dear Evistio?"_

I trusted my instinct, my sixth sense and hurried down the left path, careful to stay out of sight of any Tigachuri passing by. Their tall, looming figures were somewhat intimidating compared to the smaller insect bodies of the Schevarnos but I kept walking onward. The fate of the planet, Evistio and my friends was all in my hands. In the distance, I could see a fanged dragon and bat crossbreed walking alongside of magenta bat, their hands entwined in a tight embrace. I felt a pang of sadness, remembering Meta Knight for a second but soon snapped out of my reverie when I saw they were heading in my direction. I puffed up and hung onto the ceiling, trying to blend in with the shadows, hoping they wouldn't notice my presence.

"Do you think Lord Hiduils will notice us our absence?" the girl asked, her eyes glowing with worry. Her partner shook his head.

"I don't think so. Our Lord is too busy speaking with Vratzha. It seems he has some important business to discuss with him. But I'm not complaining. We rarely ever have moments together anymore. I have respect for Lord Hiduils but he asks too much sometimes." He sighed, pulling the girl close.

"Baijsa, how long do you think we have left together? The Schevarnos have to answer to our Lord's ultimatum tomorrow. We may never see each other again," she spoke, caressing his cheek. "Why did things have to come to this? Why do we have to hate the Schevarnos so much? I never understood why we couldn't get along. We wouldn't have to worry about being at war."

"Bihla, all we can do is follow our Lord's orders faithfully. Otherwise, we will be executed for treason," he replied, his face saddening at the thought. "We're bound to our purpose as Tigachuri members. We don't have a choice."

"Is our purpose worth destroying the life of this planet?" Bihla snapped, glaring fiercely into Baijsa's eyes. I could watch the scene in shock and in hope they wouldn't notice me hanging onto the ceiling. "If we destroy this planet, what will there be left to cherish? I can't take part in this purpose. I'd rather die than submit to that scum Hiduils. No one, especially him, is going to order me around!"

Baijsa held Bihla tightly. The pain in my stomach grew, knowing I might never share another embrace with Meta Knight. "I'm only saying this for your own good Bihla. I don't want you to die. You don't deserve that."

"The planet doesn't deserve to perish like it's worth nothing! I'd give up my life to protect it. If I followed Hiduils' orders just to live and stay with you, that would be selfish!" Bihla's eyes softened. "Please understand. We can still resist and live through it! I promise. That's how it's going to be."

More footsteps echoed through the hallway. Bihla and Baijsa froze in place.

"It's Vratzha," Bihla whispered. "Let's go."

Once the two were out of sight, I jumped off the ceiling, sighing in relief. I still couldn't believe what I heard. Were some of the Tigachuri nice and cared about the planet? I thought they wanted to destroy everything. Just who were they? The footsteps were startlingly close. I gasped when the distant shadow was now in full view.

"Then allow me to explain, Purin," a deep voice spoke to me. I gulped and turned around to see Vratzha directly behind me. I knew it was him by his scaled body and demonic red eyes. "I will explain the story of our glorious species, the Tigachuri."


	110. Episode Ninety

**Author's Notes: Wow...the last chapter of the Series. I was considering another Season but I don't think it will work out. I've written so much for Puffball Shipping so I guess this is the end. Thank you for the awesome reviews. Writing this story was a long journey and a very fun one. My readers made this happen. Thank you all so much. I hope you enjoyed the Series. **

**I have other writing plans in mind now. I put a news update on my profile for anyone who is interested.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters, or anything related.**

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**Chapter 110**

**Episode Ninety**

_True Fate_

"Long ago, we Tigachuri were a thriving and glorious species roaming this beautiful planet. We relished in the glory of our strong empires and well trained armies. We had it all. We had the life we wanted for several hundred years. I remember it as though it was yesterday. Our species were abundant in numbers and we had the power to work together as a Team. It took place about a couple thousand years ago. I could never forget that one night when we discovered there was another species found on this planet," Vratzha begun to explain, eyes glowing with reminisce.

"The Schevarnos?" I offered.

"Yes, that is correct. You're wiser than I thought. You're closer to realizing who you are than I believed. Now that is interesting. It is unfortunate the successor the Schevarnos will have to perish." His words were shocking, startling.

"Successor? What do you mean?" I asked in a demanding way.

"The Schevarnos that you love so much are the cause of the Tigachuri's destruction. Your existence on this planet nearly wiped us out when our tribe was living in our utmost success. The Schevarnos' toxic existence threatened our way of life. The stubborn creatures polluted our pure lands and wiped out nearly all of our population. Their existence brought disease which nearly killed our numbers. The survivors were struggling to live as our empires collapsed. We underestimated the power of those vermin and regretted it. I would know. I was a survivor myself. We could barely fight back. They weren't just competition. They were a mortal enemy. We wanted them dead at all costs. Explain to me, Purin," Vratzha said, a loathing glare vibrant in his eyes. "Why do you love the Schevarnos? It makes no sense for someone to love a murderer. They killed everything I once cared for. How can you side with them and fight against us who suffered the brunt of the disaster?"

"I don't know. They found me and I grew up with them. I had no idea all that happened to you," I replied, staring at the ground in shame. "I don't know what to do anymore. Are the Schevarnos and the Tigachuri my enemies? Do I belong to a side? Or am I completely alone?"

"The Schevarnos are exactly what their looks imply; ravenous insects that roam this dying planet. I understand Hiduils will do what he wants to destroy the planet in order to conquer you but I believe that is too extreme myself. I knew for a while Bihla and Baijsa were questioning their leader. I didn't exactly miss their drama here a few minutes ago. It wasn't hard to overlook. Those two have been disobeying their Master in order to be with each other. I can't really blame them. They're lucky to have each other. They just want to live for the future. That's all we Tigachuri want. Only Hiduils corrupted our ambitions with his desire for revenge."

"But you wanted to kill me!" I shouted at him, eyes watering. "You wouldn't stop at anything to hurt me."

"It is true I wanted you dead. That is, when I was still on the same page as my leader. The tables have turned now. I don't want to be your enemy but I don't you to side with the species that destroyed us." Vratzha's glare was no longer on his face but rather a lost and confused expression took its place.

"I can't be on either side. I'm not from this universe. Not even Meta Knight. We're outsiders. We were created by Nightmare so long ago. What do I do?" I asked, eyes wide with fear. Were my enemies truly good the entire time?

"Don't j-join them Purin!" a rasped cry erupted from the nearest room, the door suffering an intense beating. It fell down with a loud clash, my jaw dropping at the figure in front of me.

"Evistio? B-But I-" I stuttered, glancing at both her and Vratzha, feeling as though I was trapped in a corner. "Don't make me decide between the both of you! I can't stand it. Both of you want a future. We should work together and rebel against Hiduils. It's our only chance."

Vratzha raised a surprised eyebrow while Evistio fell over in shock, in disbelief I was the one who spoke that request. "Purin, you've lost your mind. These savages hurt me terribly. Do you expect me to even think of joining forces with them?"

"I understand your request. Lord Hiduils needs to see the wrong he has done to our species and the Schevarnos. If you are suggesting an alliance, I will gladly agree," Vratzha told me, my turn to fall backwards in shock. Was this the same enemy that tried to kill me back in the Smash Universe? I couldn't believe it.

"Y-You'd do it?" I mouthed, unable to find the voice to speak the words aloud.

"I wouldn't lie. I admit, you amaze me Purin. Your determination to put your differences aside with another species and befriend them; something the Tigachuri have yet to learn. Your courage to find our hideout all by yourself, your ability to love another. Starting today, Hiduils rule will go down." He extended a hand towards me and I shook it in return, unable to disguise my astonishment.

"Yes, of course. Let's work together. Are the other Tigachuri in on this?" I questioned.

Vratzha thought for a moment. "I'm sure Bihla and Baijsa will be more than willing to accompany us but they might only be our other allies. Do you have any objections, Evistio?"

She shook her head which was hung in shame. "Do as you must. The Schevarnos must put aside their differences too, like my dear Purin."

"Evistio," I said to her. "Since you left, I've been having visions of you being harmed. Did that really happen?"

"Hiduils...hurt me in order to get to you. He found out our minds were connected in some way and used that to manipulate you to come here. Vratzha didn't hurt me at all," she explained. Vratzha nodded his head in agreement. "The Smashers are here. They can help us win this battle. Purin, I know you will object to this but we just can't leave this up the five of us. We'd stand no chance."

Vratzha's eyes narrowed. "I think Hiduils is approaching. Both of you, follow me. We need to get out of here now. We'll join up with the Smashers you speak of afterwards."

"Purin, hang on!" Evistio said, grabbing my hand before taking to the air with Vratzha, backtracking through the passage I passed through recently and up the abyss I fell in before. The sun was beginning to rise over the horizon. It looked so beautiful from above.

I was grateful Evistio knew the way back. It would have been torture to travel through that forest again without a clue where I was going. The air cooled down my warm face. I felt free at last, as though I was part of the sky, the fading stars...

An ear splitting roar rang out across the land. I looked back to see a few Tigachuri following us at an alarming speed. "Evistio, hurry! They're after us!"

She gasped and Vratzha cursed under his breath. "Hiduils knew we were there. That guy never ceases to annoy me. We don't have much time to find the Smashers. Hurry Evistio!"

A flood of relief cooled my entire body the moment we saw the large mansion. "We're here! That's the place," I said, pointing to the building. I jumped from Evistio's grasp and landed at the door, heavily pounding on it, hoping the Smashers would answer before it was too late. No one responded in time before a claw slashed at my back. I fell forwards, almost landing on the Cratias, barely escaping a deadly stab from its sharp edges.

"_Purin!" _a voice called out. I looked up from the dusty ground, gasping to see Meta Knight, his sword drawn, defending me from the barrage of attacks alike to the previous one that caused the injury on my back.

"The girl has no chance at survival. Move aside, there is no use resisting," Hiduils spoke in his dark voice. I quivered under the intimidation of his towering figure, his menacing words. I knew he was ready to kill me and Meta Knight and the deed would be done.

"Stop!" came a loud shout. Hiduils turned to face a desperate Evistio, Vratzha by her side, glaring at his former leader. "Please stop this. We don't need to fight. We can live peacefully together. Hiduils, you're corrupting the planet. I won't let you."

"Evistio, don't! You'll get hurt!" I pleaded. She shook her head and withdrew her weapon, very much similar to mine. "Vratzha! Now!"

He obeyed her command, attacking Hiduils from behind. Too stunned to move, he couldn't escape the fatal stab of Evistio's weapon. No sooner did her weapon pierce his heart, Hiduils retaliated with a fatal attack of his own. Evistio staggered back, weapon dropping from her hand. I stared at the scene in disbelief.

"Evistio!" I cried out, hurrying over to her side, Meta Knight at my side, holding my hand. "Why? WHY!"

"Purin, everything...is at peace. But this conflict, this tragedy, should never have happened at all. If I die, you'll be the successor. You'll never be able to leave this planet again. You and Meta Knight can't be together. It's all my fault. Purin, come here. There's only one way to stop this from happening."

"W-What is it?" I asked. "I'll do anything! Anything for you. Anything for Meta Knight."

Evistio's body began to glow. "As my duty as Queen, it is my duty to accept responsibility for what has happened. Meaning my existence has to be erased from history. Should that happen, the war between us Schevarnos and Tigachuri will never have taken place. You wouldn't have had to lose your memory. You'd be normal. You could lead a normal life. You, Meta Knight and the Smashers will not be a part of this history anymore. It's the only way..."

"Will I still remember all this? Meta Knight? You? My friends?" My voice shook from the shock, the overwhelming truth in her words.

"Not...even I can determine that. But Purin, be happy always. Enjoy your life the way it was supposed to be...goodbye and farewell."

My surroundings disappeared. Not even I could feel Meta Knight's hand anymore. He was gone. I began to sob uncontrollably. "Evistio! Why did you do this to me? What will happen to everyone? The future? How could you?" I cried until no more tears could fall. I collapsed, my head hurting from the pain.

"Meta Knight...I'll always love you, no matter...what happens."

_I could see two red eyes peering at me from the murky lake. It all looked so familiar...I gasped, fearing a demon was pursuing me. I hurried as fast I could through the forest but nothing could save me now. I was trapped. That's when I heard voices. Familiar ones. I opened my eyes, prepared to face what was ahead._

"Is she alive? Why isn't she responding?" My heart pounded. I wasn't responding? What happened to me?

"We found her deep in the forest not too long ago. She's only unconscious. She'll be fine."

"My Purin..." Wait a minute...that was my trainer speaking? But how could that be? I groaned, opening one eye with much effort. My trainer was instantly at my side, holding me tightly. "Do you know how worried I was? I thought I'd never see you again!"

I stared at him in shock. Where was I? There was no way my trainer could be here. I was with Evistio and Meta Knight. "W-What happened?" I tried desperately to smile though I really wanted to break down and cry.

"Home," my trainer spoke. "We found you in the forest, unconscious. You shouldn't have worked so late. You could have stayed where you were instead of wander back on your own. But I'm glad you're safe."

"Her heart's working fine," came the voice I recognized as the doctor. "She's okay."

"Thank you but how I can repay you for being so kind?" My trainer asked with a sincere smile.

The doctor shook his head. "There's no need. I know how hard life is around here. You don't have to do anything for me. I was happy to help," he replied.

I buried my face against my trainer's shoulder. I was still shocked to see his face again and my home. My trainer and the doctor both shook hands before departing. I was carried the whole way back to our house.

"It's all right. You're safe now," he whispered to me. My nod was weak. My body and mind felt completely drained and unable to function. I couldn't even think straight. "Go to sleep Purin," he quietly told me.

"But I can't...I'm restless. I'm sorry," I whispered to him. "My head hurts..."

"It will go away soon. I'll make you a cup of tea when we get back. Jaynwa is waiting for her big sister to return," my trainer reminded me, hugging me tightly.

"Yes. Let's go back. Home is where the heart is, after all." Was I in a dream? Did I really meet the Schevarnos and the Tigachuri? I was back in my home planet, before the tournament even begun. Did that mean I could live happily with my trainer, sister and have a normal life in Brawl? I knew I would receive my invitation again but it would be my secret. History was being set straight and I had to play along with it.

I smiled, my engagement wristband glittering under the light of the full moon. I would reunite with Meta Knight soon. If I remembered what happened, he would too, our love stronger than any emotion in our hearts.


End file.
